Nothing Without You
by Srellet
Summary: Sequel to I'll Take It by Your Side. Hard choices must be made. AU H/L
1. Chapter 1

I do not own most of the characters or situations in this story.

CHAPTER 1:

"Get up."

Princess Leia lay upon her back staring up at the bright lights. Her arms and legs splayed out to her sides haphazardly as if she was a discarded ragdoll. The black boot prodded her side, and she flopped like a deflated soholy fish.

"Enough of this, Your Highness," Darth Vader kicked her again. "Get up now."

Leia winced in pain but failed to respond to Vader's command.

"Self-pity, Your Highness, is unbecoming of you."

She closed her eyes and turned her head away from the menacing figure.

"Did you truly expect Captain Solo to choose you over his cherished ship?" Vader folded his hands behind his back and paced, careful to stay out of her vision. "All love is conditional. But I sense that is not what distresses you."

Leia rotated her head and glared up at the Sith Lord. Vader stopped pacing, "Yes, I felt it too. Captain Solo _feared_ you just as you once feared me. You don't fear me anymore." He tilted his head, "No, you hate me more than anything else in the galaxy, even more than the Emperor. But you don't fear me. That's good."

The princess looked away from him again. "Captain Solo fears you, what you're becoming, what you can do. He's sees your potential just as I have."

"Just like my mother feared you?" she snapped. "Tell me, what potential did she see in you that caused her to fear you?"

Darth Vader squeezed his fists and clenched his teeth together. "Obi Wan turned her against me."

"You keep telling yourself that," she muttered. As the last word fell out of her mouth, her throat constricted. She gasped and futilely sucked at the air, but she refused to move her hands to her throat. Let the bastard choke her to death. She didn't have anything left for which to live.

The Dark Lord sighed and released his hold on the girl. He waved a hand at the lights, and they zapped off, leaving the two enemies in complete dark. Vader turned on his heel and exited the room.

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Princess Leia hadn't moved from the spot on which she lay when Darth Vader last visited. She had no idea when that was, hours, days, it wasn't like it mattered. She had finally lost the last thing she had left in this cruel life, the one person she feared losing so much that she denied herself of his love until there was no time left to appreciate what she had.

Han made the right choice; he had to leave. His suffering only made her miserable. And guilty. It was better he was gone.

Leia sucked in a breath and curled her small body into a ball. _Han left her, left her to that monster, Vader._ _He said he loved her, but he loved that pathetic excuse for a cargo ship more than her. How could he do that to her?_ She was completely alone now. Leia wasn't so much bothered about being alone. She felt alone most of her life until…She grabbed one of her braided tails, one of the plaits created by Han's hands, and pulled it until her physical pain blotted out her emotional pain.

So she was alone again just as she had been in her cell on the Death Star after her home planet was blown into smithereens. The Princess of Alderaan needed no one. _Princess of Alderaan…_ Who was she now? She was Leia _Skywalker_, the offspring of a Sith Lord, the daughter of the monster of her dreams who once happened to be Anakin Skywalker. _Luke's sister._ How would Luke have handled the truth about their heritage? Would that beautiful soul survive such a blow? Her stifled, mirthless laugh bounced off of the walls. Death now seemed more merciful than knowing the truth.

Leia pressed the heels of her hands into her eye sockets. Luke was no longer with her, and neither was Han. _Han…_ Han feared her; that's why he left her. The minute contents of her stomach gurgled up her esophagus. Leia swallowed it down and coughed. If Han truly loved her, why would he fear her? He knew her better than anyone. She bit her lip. She spent the three years hiding herself away from everyone, even Han. But he pushed her until he got under her outer shell and tenderly acquainted himself with her insecurities, her treasures, her fears. Han had to _know_ who she truly was.

A tear slid from the corner of the princess' eye and dropped to the ground without a sound as her heart screamed against her ribcage. Maybe Han did know her, and that was why he feared her. Was her heart as black and iron cold as Darth Vader's? Han did call her the Ice Princess, even before they set foot on Hoth. The smuggler must have seen something in her, something darker, which inspired that sobriquet.

Leia rolled onto her back and hugged her arms to her chest. Han had every reason to fear her. She scared herself. No matter how many times her mind replayed that nightmare in front of the _Falcon_ when everyone but she and Vader fell to the ground she couldn't deny that she was the one who caused it. A power boiled in her, fused with her anger and frustration, and emanated out of her. She never felt such a rush quite like that moment. She had strength and control. Leia felt as if she could control everything in the universe.

Leia stared into the darkness. What exactly would she do with all that power? Could she have used it to keep Han by her side?

The girl shivered. _That_ was what Darth Vader wanted from her. The Sith Lord finally broke her but not in a way she expected. He just pushed her closer to becoming everything she loathed: him. And Han had tried to prevent it. All his tender kisses, those soft words whispered in her ear, his soothing hands upon her body, it was not enough to save her.

Three years ago, Luke, Chewie, and Han came to her rescue against all odds and saved her life. Over those three years her friends, Han in particular, acted as her guardian angels and did their best to keep her out of harm's way. And when they failed, they always managed to rescue her in the nick of time. Then Han saved her from her self-imposed isolation.

It was now time for Leia Organa—Skywalker—. It was time for Leia to save herself.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **I do not own most of the characters or situations in this story.

**A/N:** Sorry it has taken so long for this update and the mistakes that must be plenty in this chapter. I overused my left hand with too much typing and writing and the wrap it is in isn't helping much and gets in the way....sorry.

CHAPTER 2:

Darth Vader knelt down before the grainy image of the Emperor. The Emperor's hologram folded his hand on his lap, his first fingers forming a peak, "I sense you have good news for me, Vader."

"Yes, My Master."

"I felt a great ripple in the Force."

Vader lifted his head but managed to keep his respiration steady. He pressed his tongue against the roof of his mouth and steeled himself against whatever the Emperor felt.

"Your suspicions were correct. Princess Leia, indeed, is Force-sensitive, and her anger makes her powerful. She will be easy prey for the Dark Side."

"Yes, My Master."

"Has she been receptive?" the Emperor leaned forward yet still appeared to tower over the Dark Lord.

"More than expected."

"Hhhmmm," Palpatine touched his finger to his thin lips, "Not much was expected."

Vader's arms stiffened at his side, "She has made great progress."

"Perhaps it is time for you to bring her to me. I shall take over her training."

"I'm not sure she is ready for training," Vader cringed.

"Then what have you been doing with our Force-sensitive princess?"

Vader didn't miss the accusatory tone in the Emperor's voice, but he remained calm and subservient, "I introduced her to the power she has when she releases her anger. Her self-control has been compromised enough for her to begin to use her powers."

Palpatine clicked his tongue several times, "Then it is the perfect time for you to bring her before me."

"If you insist, My Lord," Vader rankled inside.

"I insist."

"We shall be in the capital city in two days," Vader inclined his head, and the Emperor faded away without another word.

The Sith Lord rose to his feet and squeezed his fist toward the holo console. The console sparked and sizzled before it popped under the invisible pressure Vader applied.

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Princess Leia sat on the bed in her cell as if she hadn't a care in the universe. She loosely clasped her hands around her knees as she watched the lone stormtrooper deposit one of her three daily meals. Darth Vader had been so kind to resume feeding her regularly like the caged animal she was. He even restored light in the cell, maintaining a dim enough incandescence to be oppressive yet bright enough to illuminate the food on her plate. The quality of her meals surpassed that of the few meals she ate on the Death Star, and Leia seethed. He wanted her strong. He wanted her angry. And she was giving him what he wanted, which only angered her more.

The first meal of nerf steak and vbings, Leia's favorite vegetable roasted they way she liked, two stormtroopers delivered it. One always kept his blaster rifle trained on her while the other placed the tray several meters from the door. She was forced to consume the meal using her hands, but as time went by the Imperials trusted with real utensils. They always took inventory of the utensils, and Leia always played the submissive well-behaved prisoner. It didn't take long for the deliverers of her meals became lax. And she supposed it helped that the public genial attention Vader gave the princess caught the eye of his underlings, and they had taken their cue from their Lord.

Darth Vader, however, treated her differently in private. He led her, unrestrained and never the same way, to a yard several square meters wide and exposed to the harsh elements of the Coruscant wilderness at least twice daily. Sometimes the sky's haze tempers the sun's pounding heat. Other times the night sky casts shadows around her, making it difficult for her to distinguish her imaginary foes from her real threat. Vader kept no guards around the perimeter as he did within the rest of the base, and Leia figured that the walls contained some sort of device ready to punish her if she touched them in the slightest. Besides, Vader took every reason she had to want to escape. She had nothing left.

In this open cage, Darth Vader prodded and poked her, burrowing deeper into her mind each time he brought her there. Leia shoved against each intrusive probe the Sith Lord, but her strength and resolve had taken a beating, and she hadn't been as successful as she was when he first interrogated her in Han's presence. Vader concentrated most of his mental abuse on Han, and the memory of the man she loved ascending the ramp of his beloved ship slammed against her with such force that her mind clouded over and every nerve in her prefrontal cortex stung of abandonment and loss.

Of course, the Dark Lord did not make things easy on her. He kept the princess off-balance by providing plenty of physical obstacles that crushed her attempts to thwart his mental assault. In the beginning, an invisible fist pelted her, slapping her down to the ground and knocking her senseless across the yard. After too many sessions of this abuse, Leia's anger piled layer upon layer until her head pounded and her vision blurred. She screwed her large dark eyes shut, closed her ears with her hands, and screamed. When her mind calmed and her environment remained silent, the princess opened her eyes to find her monstrous father flat on his backside. Leia stiffened her elbows and braced herself for Vader's retaliation. But no rebuke ever transpired. Instead, Vader remained on the ground, and his menacing laughter exhumed his pleasure and grated against Leia's teeth.

It was the last time she lost control, and Darth Vader's frustration seeped through her, thin veins of black emotion that seemed to cement the cracks and crevices that he himself had created inside her mind. And the Dark Lord resorted to more aggressive means. He laid Luke's light saber before her and ignited his own ancient weapon. Without a hesitation, Vader lunged at the princess and forced her to run, crawl, and roll out of the red blade's reach while he slipped into her mind and triggered an onslaught of memories that shredded her heart. Leia had no doubt that her father would kill her if she made the slightest mistake as she evaded his attack. As her memories weighed upon her like a bantha lying on the back of a Jawa, she found herself with a choice that brought her a touch of relief. She could let him kill her. She was tired, more emotionally than physically, and then there were so many lies…so much pain…so much loss. What was she fighting for?

Or…she could end this, end his evil reign, perhaps take care of the Emperor himself, and avenge all those whom she loved and lost. Leia finally scrambled toward Luke's saber, but Darth Vader swung and slashed at her hand as she tried to reach it. Leia's large dark eyes narrowed on her enemy, meeting the emotionless black orbs of his gruesome mask. Without looking at the weapon, Luke's light saber zipped between the arcs of the red blade and landed it in her hand. Leia's eyes touched the saber for a pulse, expecting it to be torn to shreds by Vader's own weapon, but Luke's light saber remained intact. The princess jumped to her feet and lunged toward the Dark Lord before the blade was ignited, bringing it to life just as Vader's red blade came down upon her. She blocked his assault and took the offensive, pushing him back and keeping his steps uncertain. She took pleasure in the surprise that coursed through the blood and flesh that still remained living inside the Sith Lord.

A kritten's sly smile stretched her lips as Leia invaded Darth Vader's dark thoughts. Instead of pricking those places that held the most anger, she focused on one long memory: her biological mother. Padme dressed as the queen's handmaiden appeared as an angel who dazzled a small nine-year old child who knew nothing more than his own small world on a back-water planet. "Ani" was what she called him. Then Padme, dressed in the elaborate costumes that as the Queen of Naboo she wore, smiled at the boy, her cover revealed, and the boy's wonder and awe of this woman nine years older than him. Anakin knew he would marry her. Anakin, former slave now the Jedi's Chosen One, would have everything he ever wanted except one thing: a free, uncomplicated life with the woman he married and their children she carried.

"Ani," Leia whispered, though unconscious of the utterance. She too found herself lost in his memories, her mother as seen from the eyes of her biological father, all human and pure and limited and pained and beautiful.

Darth Vader flinched as the princess' blue blade slammed into the armor plate of his shoulder, and he yelped not out of pain but of surprise. Leia continued her assault harder and more determined than ever. Her mother's collapsed expression as her husband squeezed the breath from her lungs blinded her with rage.

"You killed my mother," she hissed without any signs of exertion. She raised her blade above her head and brought it down. Her small stature didn't allow her the lethal part of her weapon to reach over the Sith Lord's head as she wanted, but it still caught him off-guard and Vader indignantly scrambled to protect himself.

Then Darth Vader gasped as he stared into not Leia's large brown eyes but Padme's. The soft features of his late wife's countenance hardened with contempt as she charged toward him swinging her weapon into a whirl of light that blinded him. He back-pedaled in an attempt to evade the apparition, until he was pinned between the wall and the haunting vision of Padme, until…

Until Darth Vader realized that it was not Padme whom he fought but his—their daughter, Princess Leia Organa. The girl brought her blade down hard against his, and it tumbled out of his hand. As she moved in for her final blow, Leia tingled with a perverse and forbidden pleasure. She would finally end this once and for---

The princess blinked as she noticed that Darth Vader practically glowed. He stood before her, waiting for her to end this game and fulfill her destiny. He could still save himself, push her away. She could feel it in her bones, but he didn't move to protect himself. Vader had wanted her to join him, lead a coup against the Emperor, and rule as father and daughter. But…now, her worst nightmare stood before her, offering her everything she ever dreamed of. The edges of Leia's mouth quirked up into a triumphant smile.

_No_

One word, no emotion, no physical body but all too familiar to her ears, that's all it took to stop her in her tracks. Leia's fingers loosened until Luke's light saber tumbled from her hands. Large dark eyes wide and shiny gazed at Darth Vader, _Leia's eyes,_ as she backed away from him, tripping on her own feet and landing hard on the unforgiving ground.

Darth Vader reached out and retrieved his weapon through the Force. Leia swallowed as he took careful steps toward her. She could retrieve Luke's weapon in the same manner as Vader did. She did it once before... Leia stretched her arm to the side, opened her hand, and extended her fingers. Vader ignited his saber, the red blade casting a crimson glow upon the trembling girl's face.

Princess Leia drew in a long shivering breath and curled her fingers into a tight fist. She lifted her chin, and conjured up an image of Han, all smug and cocky, as he glared up at Darth Vader as she did at this moment. Leia's mouth quivered and almost completed a smile as her body ceased trembling. She left Luke's light saber where it was and waited.

Darth Vader's blade moved and the crimson glow chased away the shadows that lit upon his daughter's face. The blade sizzled shut and the Dark Lord's cape brushed against Leia as he whirled around and left the yard. Leia managed to keep her weak knees tight enough to hold her weight. When the dark shadow left her sight, she dropped into a heap of exhaustion but still breathing. A cloud cried out and pelted her with its tears. Leia's respiration grew rapid and ragged. _It is over…She failed._ Her eyes closed, and she waited. Waited for what? The rain punishes her like Vader her, like she punished Han, like she punished herself. _I am ready to die. _Leia dropped her chin and Act of Contrition rituals and prayers fueled the movements of her lips. She prayed, though she did not believe in any Salvation for her Leia Skywalker; she did not deserve it.

The girl took in one long breath and lifted her chin. She prayed that the end would be quick, but Vader would show her no mercy. She opened her eyes and found herself alone in the pouring rain. Leia brushed away the rain in her eyes and something shiny and incrusted with teardrop jewels that slipped off under the pelting of the light caught the princess' gaze. Her head shifted around, _Vader couldn't have made such a mistake. It had to be a trap._ However, she waited a pulse or two and crawled on her hands and knees in the crusty mud. With one slow move of her right hand, Leia called Luke's light saber to her. She then stood as she tucked it deep into Luke's pocket.

She stumbled to her feet, broken, cracked, and bruised, but she was still standing.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3:

Princess Leia yawned as the door of her cell swooshed open. She rolled onto her back and turned her head to see who it was that woke her up. A lone stormtrooper nodded as the tray he held tickled the cold duracrete floor. Leia pressed her lips together to form a tight smile as she returned his silent salutation. Underneath the thin blanket that covered her, she pulled her knees to her chest and touched the light saber hidden in the pocket of Luke's military pants. The princess watched the trooper with large dark and intense eyes, all the while looking the part of a worn out but submissive prisoner.

The stormtrooper turned and left without giving the girl a second thought. Leia squeezed her eyes shut and focused on the numbers that bounced against the white cortex of her caregiver. When she caught them, she whispered the combination in her head again and again. The princess tossed aside the blanket, pounced from the bed, and landed centimeters away from the tray. The sweet salty sauce upon the sliced cojis incited her stomach to grumble. Every meal, she didn't know how Vader knew, but each was her favorite and extremely hard to resist. Leia licked her lips. It would be better to start off an escape on a full stomach, Han would say. She picked up the fork and shoveled the meal down as fast as she could.

Like the inner workings of the Core chronometer, the stormtrooper who delivered her meal returned to retrieve the tray and utensils. The stormtrooper paused for a pulse when he found the princess sitting on the floor near the tray rather than curled up on the bed as far away from the door as possible. He would have spoken to her but exchanging any words with the Emperor's high-priority prisoner was strictly forbidden, and he knew Vader periodically observed his captive princess.

The stormtrooper expelled a breath when Princess Leia didn't speak. She just stared up at him with those brown eyes, so large and sad. He had seen holovids of her but never had been this close to the infamous girl. She looked so innocent and harmless, just a teenager with misguided ideas. How could she really be as dangerous as everyone made her out to be?

The stormtrooper didn't have much time to ponder her importance for long, and he never felt the knife, however dull, slice through the black knitting of his uniform and deep into his throat. Leia withdrew the knife and hopped out of the way of the trooper's falling body. She then removed his helmet and tossed it to the side as she struggled to remove the rest of his armor. The princess rolled the undressed corpse to its back, her eyes catching on the horrified expression etched into his ashen face. Leia bit the inside of her cheek and rubbed the fingertips of one hand against each other. She had grown accustom to seeing the faceless stormtroopers as a soulless foe and killing one or two or however many it took was more a kin to the holovid games she played as a child than to killing a living being. But underneath the armor…Leia closed her eyes and turned her head away. This _man_ might have a family, children waiting for him to return home. He might have friends who also served the Empire as stormtroopers or as just civilians. He might have shared a beer or two with those friends, venting and laughing over a good time.

Leia pushed herself to her feet. Did she really have a choice? How else was she to escape?

_Did I have another choice?_

She slipped her hands underneath the stormtrooper's---man's arms. She leaned back and dragged the man's body over to the bed. Once he lied in a clumsy pile next to her bed, Leia wiped the sweat off her brow with the back of her sleeve, pulled the thin blanket back, and tossed it to the floor. She may not be able to avoid getting the man's blood on the sheets covering the thin mattress, but blood on the blanket would draw too much attention. She needed to buy herself as much time as possible.

A grunt followed by a Corellian curse slipped through her bow-shaped lips as she heaved and shoved the dead man onto the bed. Dropping to her knees she locked her elbows and pressed her hands against the man's back until he lied on his side facing the wall. Leia grabbed his ankles and posed him in a fetal position.

"Okay," she huffed. Leia snatched the blanket from the floor and arranged it over the corpse so that just the crown of his dark hair could be seen. The dead stormtrooper was larger than her, but he looked enough like her in bed to fool someone for a few nanoseconds at least.

Which didn't leave her much time to escape. Princess Leia shimmied into the black underlining of the stormtrooper uniform. She left her clothes on underneath in hope that with the extra clothing the armor would make her appear to be a more realistic stormtrooper than Luke had been when she first saw him on the Death Star. Like Luke, she lacked believable height, but Leia hoped she'd need the uniform only until she reached the outdoor hangar where the _Falcon_ once rested. _I wonder where it is, he is now._ She swallowed down the lump in her throat, and pulled the helmet over her head.

Leia's vision adjusted to the tinted eye slots before she calibrated the ESI stream. This added information was an unexpected surprise, as long as no one tried to hail the stormtrooper uniform that she inhabited. Leia's hands felt around herself, checking to see if everything was in place. The stormtrooper had no blaster, but two smoke canisters held secure on the utility belt. Leia slipped the knife into her boot, closed her eyes, and held her fingers over the security pad. She typed in the code that she had stolen from the trooper's thoughts when he first dropped off her meal. Nothing happened.

"Did you really expect to just walk out of here?"

She slammed her fist against the door jam and jumped back when the door hissed open.

"Maybe I will."

The princess shimmied out of the cell and found herself in a sleek black hallway with two doors parallel to each other. She stepped with care as she headed down the hall. She didn't get far when a stormtrooper turned down the hallway and walked toward her direction. She muttered a cursed then clamped her teeth together.

"G-Y-731, why haven't you retrieved the princess' tray?"

Leia grimaced. G-Y-731 was the code she stole from the trooper's head when he dropped off her meal. She had hoped it was a code for a locked room or something more useful. So much for the controlling the Force.

"G-Y-731?"

"Yes, sir," Leia deepened her voice. "She's…uh…indisposed at the moment."

"I don't care. Do your job."

"Yes, sir."

Leia sighed and her muscles relaxed as the stormtrooper turned around and left. Her head swiveled from side to side, the helmet one pace behind, as she searched for an alternate route. The princess chose the closest door on her right. It had a standard security pad similar to the ones Han showed her how to hotwire. Leia licked her lips, and a slender sliver of pain seared the space between her last two ribs. Han's absence became more predominant. She felt so shaky, so unsure of herself without him. She looked back at her cell. Maybe she should just return and endure whatever fate she deserved at the hands of her father. What did it matter? Without Han nothing mattered.

Leia rested her helmeted head against the door and closed her eyes. A dead Imperial lay in the bed of her cell. _She_ killed him just so she could escape that cell. A shiver ran down her spine and settled in a knot of guilt in the pit of her stomach as his horrified countenance flashed through her mind. Going back meant facing the consequences of her action. Going back was not an option.

The princess reached down and slipped the knife from her boot. She wedged the utensil into the seal of the security pad and began fumbling around inside it with trembling hands. Leia hopped back as the door slid open. She blinked a few times. That was too easy. She slipped through the door and pushed it shut behind her. She looked over her shoulder and then pulled off her helmet.

"Threepio?"

The golden droid stared back at her. Leia's brow creased, and she reached out and activated the protocol droid.

"Oh!" Threepio's eyes blinked on and off before glowing steadily. "Princess Leia!"

"Sh," Leia hissed.

The room was tight and packed with a variety of oversized boxes. She glanced down and activated the Artoo unit smashed against the wall. The little droid beeped and tweetered as his head spun a few times before settling on the princess.

"What is this place?"

Threepio's head zipped as he looked around, "I believe a closet of some kind."

Leia rolled her eyes, "Yeah, I figured as much."

Artoo blipped and cawed. "Her Highness asked, you lob of good-for-nothing tin can!"

"Please."

"Sorry, Your Highness."

Leia's eyes narrowed as she scanned the small room, "No weapons?"

Threepio and Artoo joined the search. "Nothing that I can see. However, I'm just a protocol droid. I wouldn't recognize most—"

The princess bent over and grabbed something from an open box. She held up a blaster.

"Oh yes," Threepio stepped back. "I do recognize that."

"Artoo, do you know the lay-out of this place?"

The little droid's head swiveled from side to side. "Unfortunately, no. But if he has access to a central computer, Artoo can access a map."

"Well, guess we'll just have to make it up as we go," _like Han would._ Leia put her helmet back on.

"Oh dear!" C-3PO exclaimed at the sight of the princess in full stormtrooper regalia.

"Come on," Leia brandished the blaster and opened the door. "And keep your mouth shut."

Tentatively, she peered outside the door and then motioned with the blaster for the droids to follow. The princess marched the droids ahead of her down the hallway and into a larger corridor. A few stormtroopers and Imperial personnel littered the area but no one paid her any mind. Her confidence grew as they trudged along, and she no longer worried about the correct route to the open hangar. She had been there once before when…Leia shook her head in an attempt to shake the image of the _Falcon_ and Han walking up her ramp out of her head. Leia took slow steady breaths and followed her instincts.

What felt like a few heartbeats of time must have been a good half standard hour passing when they finally reached the hangar doors. The helmet felt oppressive, and Leia could stand the heat inside the stormtrooper uniform no longer. She ducked into a small alcove and tugged and pulled at the armor until the last piece lay at her feet. The princess rubbed her hand against the hilt of the light saber in her pocket just to make sure she still had it. She twirled the blaster on her finger before righting it for action and relished one of the smoke canisters.

"Ready?" Leia looked at Threepio and then Artoo.

Artoo beeped enthusiastically. "As much as I'll ever be," Threepio muttered as he followed the princess into the hangar.

Leia's eyes darted around looking for the perfect ship to hijack or speeder to steal. She smiled to herself as a sleek silver speeder came into view.

"Perfect," she nodded towards it, and the droids started out before her.

Leia tossed the smoke canister in the opposite direction and began trotting toward the speeder. She looked over her shoulder to make sure no one took notice of her. Her large dark eyes widened and she stopped in her tracks.

"Han…"


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4:

"Oh dear!"

Threepio's shrilly declaration served as an ample confirmation that Princess Leia was not dreaming nor suffering from any hallucinations. Her knees shook beneath her and her head spun like a planet knocked off its axis, and Leia had to rest her weight upon R2-D2 to keep herself on her feet. Her large dark eyes struggled to comprehend exactly what they were focused on.

"He…he left," she mumbled.

C-3PO cocked his head to the side, "Captain Solo would never willingly leave anywhere without the _Millennium Falcon_."

"I know," Leia whispered.

Still leaving her hand on the dome of the astromech droid, the princess took a step toward Han's beloved ship. The _Falcon_ sat tilted on crumbled legs, and angry holes littered its haul. Scorch marks stained the already distressed ship, making it appear more like a pile of junk than it ever did. The infamous ship that provided more than her fair share of close escapes would never see the black of space again.

"I don't understand."

Leia bit her lip, "Han's still here."

Her eyes scanned the open hangar. Most of the Imperials had gathered around to investigate the smoke canister she threw moments earlier. Much to her relief, the canister traveled further than she had thought it would, and no one seemed take notice of her presence.

"There's a terminal over there," she lifted her chin and nodded to a station to the left of them.

Artoo needed no further direction. He dropped his middle leg and rolled ahead of the princess and the protocol droid. Leia kept the blaster out of sight but ready if she needed it. She clenched her teeth together and kept her eyes focused on the computer terminal ahead of them. Why didn't Han leave? What if Darth Vader gave him no choice? What if that monster ordered the destruction of the _Falcon_ even after Han decided to leave? That sounded like Vader. That was the more likely scenario. _Han could be dead._

Leia's lips pressed into a thin line as she waited for the droid to look up the information she requested. It was taking too long, and she had to wonder if she her captors knew she had escaped her cell. Leia pushed back her sleeve and glanced down at her naked wrist. A chronometer would be handy at the moment. It was only a matter of time someone went looking for the stormtrooper she killed or decided to check up on her. Darth Vader hadn't pulled her out of her cell since their last confrontation that left Vader on his ass, but that didn't guarantee he wouldn't decide to take up his "training" sessions and find her missing.

"Hurry, Artoo."

The droid spewed out a bundle of electronic squeaks, and Leia didn't need a translation to know she had offended the droid. A minor concern. She shifted her head to the left and scanned the hangar. If the astromech droid didn't speed up his search for Han she might lose any chance of rescuing him, provided he was still alive.

Artoo's head swiveled back and forth as he shared what he had learned from the central computer. "Artoo says that Captain Solo is being held in a cell on the second floor."

_Great._ That meant elevators and more of a chance of being discovered and recaptured. "Can you give me the exact location?"

Leia chewed the inside of her cheek and rubbed her thumb against the butt of the blaster as she listened to Threepio's translation. When he finished, the princess tapped a compartment marked by a blue trapezoid on Artoo's dome. It opened and presented a commlink. She grabbed the commlink and tucked it into the pocket housing Luke's light saber.

"Okay," she huffed as her dark eyes scanned the hangar. "I'm going alone. You two stay as close to the computer terminal as possible without attracting any unwanted attention."

"Excuse me, Your Highness," Threepio interrupted. "How are we supposed to thwart any unwanted attention?"

Leia's eyes widened and retracted, but she managed to contain her irritation. "You're droids. I'm sure you can figure it out," she answered, keeping her focus on the stout astromech droid. The small droid beeped and tweeted. "I'm going after Han. I'll give you further instructions after I find him so stay alert."

"Of course, Your Highness. We won't fail you."

Leia gave the two droids an abridged nod. She wasn't worried about them failing; she feared that she'd be the one to fail.

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Darth Vader paced the length of his private sanctuary. The Emperor expected the Dark Lord to present the princess to him by the end of the day. He squeezed his fists tight behind his back. He couldn't just hand his daughter over to his Master like a gift, especially since she wasn't ready. The Emperor would take her as _his_ apprentice, complete her training, and then turn her against her own father. The thought of his own blood used as a weapon against him blinded him with fury.

_Obi Wan tried to do the same._

The Sith Lord growled, and he slammed his fist against the desktop as he passed it. This was not the way things were supposed to transpire. His offspring were never meant to be weapons of any sort.

_But he was training his daughter to be used as a weapon against the Emperor._

Vader closed his eyes and dropped his chin. What would his beloved Padme think? He slowed his respiration and focused on the metallic hissing he expelled. His _beloved_ Padme turned against him and would have most likely raised his children to hate him had she been given the chance, _had she lived._

Maybe things turned out for the best. And maybe things were playing out the way they were meant to be. Despite the betrayal of his best friend and wife, despite all their efforts to destroy him, and despite their death, Darth Vader—_Anakin Skywalker--_ was reunited with his daughter. In the end, he was triumphant. And his little girl may hate him now, but Vader had no doubts that she hated the Emperor more. Once Princess Leia stood before that gnarled despot, she would come to see that the only way to defeat the Emperor was to join forces with him. And she would completely accept him as her father and stand by his side. And Vader would possess what should have never been taken from him in the first place.

The Sith Lord froze in his tracts as a slight tingle only lasting a couple nanoseconds tickled the back of his neck. It was so minute that at first he thought he had imagined it. He closed his eyes and opened himself to the Force. Princess Leia's presence in the Force still remained elusive but Vader managed to catch her essence now and then. And Darth Vader knew better than to ignore that tingling sensation. He touched his light saber and stormed out of his private sanctuary.

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Princess Leia Organa stared at the cool durasteel door before her as her heart beat within her throat. What if she was too late? What if he would rather be inside that cell than see her? _What if he did choose to leave?_

Leia swallowed down the lump in her throat. No matter what Han chose or felt about her, she would never leave him to rot in a prison. Her fingers hovered over the security pad, and she closed her eyes as she typed in the security code that Artoo had given her.

"Leia."

The girl opened her eyes at the breathy whisper of her name. Han sat leaning against the wall staring back at her with wide hazel eyes, eyes she thought she'd never see again.

"I…I thought you," she stopped and inhaled, "chose to…leave."

Han climbed to his feet as if he was caught in quick-mud. "Leave you to Vader?"

She nodded.

"How cou--?"

"What about Chewie?" the words tumbled out of her mouth.

"I think Chewie's odds with the slavers are much better than yours with Vader," Han took a step toward her. "Besides, he'd rip my arms out if I left you to that monster."

Leia took a step back, "But the _Falcon…_"

His brow lowered as he continued toward her, "Did you really think I'd choose the _Falcon_ over you?"

Her large dark eyes misted over. "You should have," she whispered.

Han Solo stole two strides with one step, grabbed the princess by the elbows, and pressed his lips against hers until her tense muscles softened and her hands curled around his biceps.

"I thought you'd ne'er come," he winked.

Leia snapped back to reality. "I gotta get you out of here," she mumbled as pulled out the commlink. "Artoo, set off the fire alarms on levels four and five." She turned on her heel, "Come on."

Han raised one eyebrow, tipped his head, and followed her to the lift. Once they activated the lift, Leia turned her attention back to the commlink in her hand, "Artoo, scramble the activity log for the hangar and shut down all power once lift I-G-78 touches the ground floor."

"So," Han leaned against the lift wall and folded his arms across his chest, "You actually have a plan for gettin' us outa here."

"Yes," she smirked. "Some of us have the gift of foresight."

"Hey," he adjusted his weight and shrugged, "it was Luke's plan, not mine. I was just doin' what he told me to do."

Leia's brows peeked, "You keep telling yourself that."

The lift door slid open, cutting off any retort that tickled the tip of Han's tongue. Just as they stepped out of the lift, all power shut down and the corridor went black. Leia and Han rushed down the corridor toward the faint light that dimly lit the open hangar.

"Artoo?"

One speeder flashed its lights twice, and the two rebels rushed over to it. Han climbed into the pilot's seat while Leia jumped into the passenger seat. Behind her Artoo and Threepio were already cramped into the back seat. Han started up the speeder and Leia braced her hands against the dashboard in anticipation of acceleration.

But Han did nothing more than start the speeder. Leia glanced over at him and frowned. She placed a hand on his arm, "I'm sorry."

Solo ripped his eyes off of the scorched and crumbling _Falcon_. "Don't…" his voice trailed off and Leia retracted her hand and slouched in her seat. Han revved the speeder engine and thrust the yoke forward. "I was there when it happened. I just wanted to remember…"

Han's anger sizzled through the neurons in Leia's brain. He wasn't angry at her, though he should be in her opinion. No, Han's anger focused solely on Darth Vader, and Leia felt the undercurrent of vengeful thoughts that didn't stem from the _Falcon's_ destruction alone.

"Leave Vader to me," she whispered.

"What?" Han stole a glance of his companion.

"Nothing," Leia mumbled.

The G-force of the speeder slammed her back against her seat, and Leia's mouth dropped open as other speeders and light personnel carriers sped pass them.

"Oh no!"

"Don't worry, Mistress Leia," Threepio's shrilly voice soothed cheerfully, "Artoo programmed the automatic flight systems of as many vehicles possible. He figured it would be more difficult to trace us."

Leia looked over her shoulder, "Nice work, Artoo."

The little droid beeped proudly. Leia turned her attention to the fading light on the horizon. They may not escape unscathed, but perhaps they'd get out of this alive after all.

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Darth Vader squeezed his hands around the balcony's rail as he watched the hangar come alive with various vehicles that zoomed out into the dusk. His masked eyes followed the flight path of one beat up speeder. He could have stopped her. It would have been easy. It would have been the right thing, the smart thing, the "Vader" thing to do.

_Why _didn't_ he stop her?_

Darth Vader heavily sighed, suddenly overcome with fatigue. The Emperor would be more than displeased, but he didn't care. The Sith Lord stepped away from the railing and headed back to his private office.


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5:

Princess Leia's arms wrapped around her legs and her head rested against the passenger seat window. Her large dark eyes drooped with fatigue as they followed the erratic patterns of the rain drops that collided with the glass.

Han Solo stole glances of her as he steered the speeder toward the under city of Coruscant. No one said much since they exited the Imperial hangar, not even the gregarious protocol droid smashed in the cramp back seat of the speeder. Perhaps there was nothing to say. Or maybe there was just too much. Still, Leia's disinterest in their destination bothered Han. No inquiries, no arguments, no commands. Just silence. Han swallowed down the images of what Vader must have done to her and tried not to think about the possibility that his imagination didn't come close to what horrors she may have really suffered.

Solo's hazel eyes flew up to the rear view screen. No one followed them, not one Imperial, and Han tried to ignore the uneasy feeling that their uncomplicated escape inspired. He looked at Leia. From the tight position in which she sat, he guessed she was thinking about the same thing.

He cleared his throat, "I know someone who can help us."

Leia jumped and then let her legs slide down and her feet rest on the floor, "On Coruscant?"

"Yeah," Han tried to inflict some optimism in his voice. "He lives ground level."

"I've never been ground level," she mumbled. "How do you know he'll help us?"

Han shrugged, "We're ol' friends."

"Smuggling friend?"

Han sighed, "What difference does it make?" He felt her eyes on him, and though her distrusting tone vexed him, he was relieved to hear the usual fire in her voice. "Yeah. He's a smuggler."

"Must not be very good."

"Why do you say that?"

"He lives on the ground level of Coruscant."

"He likes to keep a low profile," Han smirked.

"I guess that's good for us," she favored him with a short smile, and a heat traveled up Han's neck. He'd never get tired of her smile however fleeting.

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Darth Vader's shuttle touched down in the Imperial docking bay adjacent to the Imperial Palace. Vader hated Coruscant. Every aspect of this polluted planet was a reminder of his Padme, the betrayal of the Jedi, and everything he lost when he prevented Master Windu from killing Chancellor Palpatine. Vader would have destroyed Coruscant instead of Alderaan had he been given the choice.

With a grunt and a sigh, Darth Vader climbed into the transport shuttle and settled himself into the Jedi meditation techniques his old Master, Obi Wan Kenobi, taught him when he was but a child. He would need all of his strength and complete mental clarity when he met the Emperor face to face.

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The speeder came to a stop and Princess Leia wiped the fog off of the window as she tried to see what lay outside. Han placed his hand on her thigh and gave it a rub.

"Don't worry, Sweetheart," he leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Lando'll help us out."

Leia placed her hand on his and gazed into his eyes, "If you say so."

"I say so," Han unlatched the speeder's locks. "Come on."

Leia climbed out of the speeder, "What about the droids?"

Han pursed his lips as he looked at Threepio. He didn't know how that protocol droid did it, but his expressionless face managed to communicate the high levels of anxiety he must have been feeling.

"You two, stay in the speeder until I straighten out things with my friend."

"Yes, sir."

Leia's brow furrowed, "Straighten out?"

Han rolled his eyes, "You know what I mean. It's not like he's expectin' us or anything. He's not big on surprises."

Leia clicked her tongue, "Great."

Solo grabbed her hand and ignored her comment. He led her down a dark alley illuminated here and there by small fires that were surrounded by a few drifters, and Leia couldn't help but worry about Artoo and Threepio and wondered if it was a mistake to leave them in the speeder. She hunched over and clutched his hand tighter as the wind and hard crisp rain penetrated her clothes and soaked her skin. She watched Han's back as he maneuvered his way through the narrow sidewalk. Although water dripped off of his hair and down his neck, he didn't seem bothered by the cold. Leia sighed and hoped that their destination was nearby.

Han finally stopped in front of an old fashion wooden door that looked ready to fall off its hinges. He released her hand, and Leia tucked her hands into her pockets. Han reached his hand into a slender opening between two slats of the warped door. He retracted his hand and turned around to face the princess. He cupped her face in his wet hands.

"Everythin'll be okay. You'll see."

Leia nodded, but Han had already turned back to the door where a bald man wearing an electrical device around his ears stood.

"Uh…hi, Lobot," Han wore his most charming smile. "I'm looking for Lando Calrissian."

The bald man's steel blue eyes gazed unblinking at Han, and Leia shrank behind her tall companion. After a few tense moments, the strange man stepped to the side and swept out his hand, "Enter please."

Han looked over his shoulder to make sure the princess was still there and started down the decrepit hallway. Leia wrinkled her nose as she scrutinized the squalor appearance. She and Han needed not just a hide-out but passage off of Coruscant. Neither she nor Han had two credits to rub together. How was this Lando going to help them?

A rickety lift with open cage doors stood at the end of the hall. Lobot stepped onto the lift first and motioned for his guests to follow. The jerky ride came to an abrupt and jarring stop almost a moment after the ride began. Lobot pushed aside the iron door and stepped out into a darkened room. Han took Leia's hand and led her out of the lift.

The moment Han's foot touched the floor outside of the lift recessed lights illuminated the room. Leia's large eyes widened, and her mouth formed the smallest of 'o's.

Han flashed a smug smile over his shoulder at her, "Not what ya' expected, huh?"

Leia shook her head, her eyes taking in more than their fill of the room they stood in, "No."

The entry way they stood in opened into a circular parlor obviously decorated to impress. The spotless room shimmered with luxuries that rivaled those that furnished the winter palace on Alderaan. The shiny ivory floors held the mirror images of the gold piping that covered the ceiling with curls and swirls and hid the lighting fixtures. Plush white repulsor chairs rounded a knee-level glass table that held a piece of abstract art made of silver and gold metal. The walls contained lifelike holographic pictures that gave the illusion that their "humble" abode floated amongst the clouds of another planet rather than the mucky underworld of Coruscant.

"Thank you, Lobot," a dark-skinned man impeccably dressed in a silk slate blue shirt and meticulously creased black pants wore a wide smile all full of perfectly straight teeth. He held out his hand to Han. "Look what the kritten dragged in."

Han's friend was not what Leia expected from someone who lived in the poorest levels of Coruscant, the Forgotten Ones, as many on the higher levels referred to them. In fact, the lavish and expensive décor of the house didn't fit its homely appearance on the outside, but if his neighbors knew of the wealth that existed behind those rickety wooden doors, Han's friend wouldn't have his riches, or his life for that matter, for long.

"Lando," Han shook the man's hand and then pulled him into a half-embrace. "I hardly recognize you without your cape."

Lando was unfazed by the slight, "And I hardly recognize you without your taller and better half. Where's Chewie?"

Han released Lando's hand and his warm smile faded, "Uh…we're in a bit of trouble."

Lando grimaced, "When are you not? How bad?"

Han rubbed the back of his neck, "Bad enough to need your help."

Lando shook his head, "Some things never change."

Han shifted his weight between his feet and tucked his fingers into his belt, "You know I wouldn't be here if I had other choices."

"True," Lando smiled again but this time it was tight and it didn't reach his eyes. "Someday it would be nice if your visits were just social calls."

Han's mouth pulled up and his right cheek swelled, "Yeah, me too. Next time, I promise."

Lando shook his head and his smile morphed into something more genuine, "Doubt that. You can't keep yourself outa trouble long enough for social calls. If you weren't my oldest friend…"

"Thanks, pal."

"So, Chewie?"

Anger flashed in Han's hazel eyes, "Sold to slavers."

"I'll do anything that needs to be done. Don't worry. We'll save him."

"Thanks, Lando."

"He's a good friend with a big heart."

Lando then turned his attention to the princess who stood a pace behind Han hunched over and rubbing her arms in an attempt to warm herself. Lando's smile morphed into yet another smile, one more seductive and charming, and Leia wondered how many smiles this man had. His eyes fell on the angle of her hipbones that poked out between the waistband of her pants and the hem of her thermal shirt. His dark eyes traveled up her body, stopping briefly to admire how her wet shirt clung to her breasts. "What do we have…" his smile faded as his eyes reached the princess' face, "here?"

Leia hugged herself tight, rounded her shoulders, and dropped her chin. _Vader's daughter_. Was it so obvious?

Lando's dark eyes flashed with fire, "I can't believe---How could you after---"

"Lando!" a strong female voice commanded everyone's attention. "Where are your manners?"

"Tendra," Han stepped into the open arms of the approaching woman. She was a striking human female with shoulder length brownish-blonde hair and brown eyes that complimented her strong cheekbones. "It's always good to see you."

"And you," she squeezed Han and then released him to scold her husband. "How can you be so rude to our guests?" Lando's mouth dropped open, but Tendra's tirade prevented her husband from answering. "They're dripping wet. Look at this poor creature! She's shivering." Tendra held her manicured hand out to Leia, "Come on, sweetie. Let's get you warm and in some dry clothes. I have just the thing you need."

Lando's dominant presence faded, and he seemed to have shrunk a few centimeters under his better half's reprimand. Leia glanced up at Han, and he gave her a small smile and a nod, and the girl allowed herself to be led away by their host, leaving Han with his friend.

Lando stalked around his parlor, squeezing his hands into fists and releasing them as he fought to contain his anger, "After what Bria did—how dare you!"

Han cringed and glanced in the direction of which Tendra dragged Leia. He caught Leia's large wide eyes before she disappeared into a room.

"Look, Leia's nothin' like Bria," Han turned his attention to Lando and held his hands out.

"You're right!" Lando stopped and faced Solo. "You're absolutely right about that because _she_ just happens to be the Princess of Alderaan, and it is well known that she was practically _born_ into the rebellion. She has to be worse than Bria."

Han's eyes narrowed on his long-time smuggler buddy. He thrust his finger at him, "Don't ever compare her to Bria! Leia is honorable and loyal—"

"Loyal to the Rebellion, I'm sure!"

Han clamped his mouth shut and dropped his hands to his hips, "Leia would never betray her friends even if her betrayal would benefit the rebels. Her heart's as big as Chewie's, if not bigger."

Lando folded his arms across his chest and rested his weight on his right leg, "And you know this without a doubt."

Han lifted his chin, "Not an ounce of doubt in me. I've known her for three years now, _fought_ by her side--"

Lando's face cracked into an angry smile, "You fighting for the rebellion even after they turned on us."

"That was Bria's doin', her orders," Han argued.

"Same ol' story, Han," Lando shook his head. "You fall in love and join the rebellion."

"It's not like that!"

"You love her," Lando laughed. "You can't hide that."

Han rolled his eyes and huffed, "I'm not denyin' that, but this is nothin' like Bria! Leia can't help her upbringing, but that doesn't define who she is. _You_ should know somethin' 'bout that more than anyone else. You weren't exactly born into this lifestyle. And Tendra," Han took a breath, "Tenra played a part in the government on Sacorria. Ain't that somethin' like royalty on that planet?"

Lando sighed and stared at the glossy floor soiled by murky puddles of water that dripped off of his unexpected guest.

"You always said, 'actions speak louder than words', buddy," Han lowered his chin and tried to make eye contact with Lando, "and you've done things in your life you ain't proud of."

"Han," Lando sounded tired as he raised his dark eyes to look at his friend, "your right. You've always helped me out in a bind. I can't deny that. I just…can you trust her?"

"With my life. Ne'er trusted Bria like that."

Lando chuckled, "That would've gotten you killed."

Solo rolled his eyes and mumbled, "Don't I know it."

Han's friend looked down the hall where his wife took the princess. "Tendra's obviously okay with the situation." Then Lando smiled wide, "I also wouldn't mind sticking one to the Empire after they screwed up my last business proposition."

"Thanks, pal," Han gave his old friend a small smile and patted his back. "I don't know what I'd do without ya'."

"Now that's an understatement," Lando laughed. "Come on in. Let's get a drink and you can tell me about what you need and what's this gonna cost me."

The tension in Han's muscles melted away as he followed Lando deeper into his luxurious abode.

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Tendra sat on the edge of the large tub as she tested the temperature of the water, "You can deposit your clothes in the receptor over there next to the sink, Your Highness. Your clothes will be as clean as they day you bought them."

Leia's eyes widened and her body went rigid. When she didn't say anything, Tendra turned her head to look at her.

"Surprised I know who you are?" although the words sounded threatening to Leia, Tendra's tone clearly conveyed she meant no harm. Tendra winked at her, "Don't worry. You're secret's safe with me and Lando." She rolled her eyes, "Please excuse his manners. His past dealings with the rebellion haven't been so positive."

"Who's Bria?" Leia asked.

Tendra pulled a face, "Bria Tharen. What Han saw in her, I'll never know." She shook her head and smiled at Leia, "Han's tastes have definitely improved."

Leia's cheeks flushed and she dropped her chin, "Sometimes I wonder."

Tenda giggled, "Han wouldn't have brought you to us if there wasn't something special he sees in you, with the way Lando feels about the Rebel Alliance and all."

Leia's stomach flipped with dread, "Lando's feelings about the rebellion?" What was Han thinking asking an Empire sympathizer for help?

"Relax, Your Highness," Tendra placed a hand on Leia's arm. "My husband has no love for the Empire. It's just Bria soured his feelings for the Alliance."

Then Leia's host sobered, "To make a long story short, Han saved Bria from a cult, and down the line after she dumped him, Bria just popped back into his life wanting help." Tendra circled her fingers in the water of the tub.

"She was a commander in the Alliance, and a brilliant one at that. Her biggest fault was her commitment to her cause. Bria loved Han, but the Alliance was everything to her. She got Han to convince his fellow smuggler buddies to help the rebels in return for part of the spice they planned to liberate from Ylesia. The battle was a great success, and everyone would have benefited if it wasn't for Bria."

Tendra stopped and shook her head, "_Commander_ Tharen ordered the rebels to guard the smugglers after they succeeded, and the rebels took everything and didn't leave them a credit."

Leia wrinkled her nose, "I can understand Lando's reaction to us. I'm sorry. I didn't know."

Tendra waved her hand, "Don't worry about it. He'll do the right thing."

Leia's voice softened, "What if helping us is the wrong thing?"

Tendra's brown eyes crinkled, "Why would it be wrong?"

The princess shrugged in a manner similar to Luke's, "Things don't always go so…well for us."

Tendra laughed, and the light breezy sound put Leia at ease, "You don't know Lando. I swear that man is a magnet for trouble even when Han isn't around. It goes with the territory."

Leia smiled.

"Now come, darling," Tendra rose and ushered the princess toward the tub. "The water will get cold and those bubbles aren't going to last forever."

Leia's smile widened as her large eyes surveyed the bathtub. A real bath. It had been so long Leia couldn't even remember what it felt like.

"I'll leave you be," Tendra said from the door. "Holler if you need anything."

Leia nodded, "Thank you."

Once she was alone, she removed the light saber from her pocket and gazed at it. Her easy mood soured as she remembered who she truly was, Darth Vader's daughter. Leia put the light saber under the towel lying on the sink and pulled off her clothes. Hopeful that the bath would not only wash the grime from her body but also the grime on her genes, she climbed in and slid under the luxuriant blanket of bubbles.


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6:

Han rapped on the door with the back of his knuckles and leaned his ear closer. It was the third time he knocked and didn't get an answer. He rubbed his lips together as the gears in his mind turned. He could just walk right in, but the occupant of the room might not appreciate that.

"Leia?" he called again. Still no answer.

He scratched his chin and then looked over his shoulder. If Lando saw the suave Han Solo now, standing unsure and insecure in front of the only barrier between him and a woman, well, Lando definitely would have a good laugh. But he was no longer the Han Solo Lando knew. Han barely recognized himself anymore. He sighed.

Lando or not, Leia had been in the refresher far too long, and even if she was enjoying a nice hot bath, she hadn't answered him once. That wasn't like her, not like her at all. Han dropped his head against the door and closed his eyes. The pain that swirled in her large brown eyes seemed bottomless, and Han felt helpless against it. Leia was strong, but how much could she take?

Han pressed his hand against the door latch, and the refresher door slid open. He poked his head into the room and expelled a quiet whistle.

"This 'fresher's larger than my cabin on the _Falcon_," he observed loudly and with an impish grin. His grin melted away when his presence failed to incite a reaction from the room's sole occupant.

"Leia?" he called out as he walked further into the refresher. Han's footfalls bounced off the blue and gold flecked tiles on the walls and floor, slamming painfully against his ears. "You awake?"

Still lounging in the large tub, the princess neither answered nor turned her head to face him. Han's heart clenched as his mind lurched forward. He froze in mid stride, his body gripped with fear. _Leia answer me._ Han inhaled and exhaled with great control. Then he ran his hand through his hair and reined in his rampant thoughts. _Leia is strong, the strongest person I know,_ he reminded himself. She survived the Death Star and the destruction of her home planet. She continued on after Luke's death and faced down Darth Vader for the second time in her life and lived to tell about it. _But she didn't know that Vader…_

Han tucked his hands into his belt and approached the tub. After what felt like an endless journey, he stood behind her and gazed upon her long dark hair that fell over the tub's side. A puddle had formed on the tile where droplets fell from her tresses. Han lifted his chin and his rigid shoulders relaxed as he noticed that the water she sat in was milky white and not red like he feared.

Han reached for the thick ginger towel that lay upon the shelf overhead. He hugged it to his chest as he dared to step closer. "Being a bit selfish with the tub, Sweetheart?" he drawled.

Han expected her to jump or yell at him with all the indignation she could muster up. But no reaction of any sort came. He stepped closer. Just her head from the chin up and her knees peeked out of the opaque water. Han frowned and sat himself on the edge of the bathtub. He reached out his hand and slipped a finger into the water near her breast.

"Aw!" Han retracted his hand. "The water's freezing!"

Leia's large brown eyes looked up at him, and Han noticed that her teeth were chattering.

He stood up and furrowed his brow, "Are you trying to make yourself sick?"

Leia's bottom lip slipped between her teeth as she shook her head.

Han's posture softened, "Then why are you sitting in a tub of cold water?"

She blinked as she sat up just a bit and looked down at the water, "I'm not…I mean…it wasn't. I must have gotten lost in thought."

Han's spine bristled but he hid his discomfort with a smile, "Always gettin' lost. Whaddya ever do without me?"

Leia's head tipped up to look at Han, "So what's going on?"

Han's brow furrowed before he answered, "With Lando? He had _his people_, whoever they are, bring the droids here and destroyed any evidence of the stolen speeder."

She tilted her head, "He did all that?"

"Uh-huh," Han nodded.

"Hhhmmm, are his _people_ trustworthy?"

Han shrugged, "Dunno, but it's not like we have alotta choice."

"So Lando has people," she blinked a couple of times. "What does he do?"

"He's an entrepreneur. Anything and everything, legal or otherwise."

Leia pursed her lips, "That's…" her eyebrows rose and fell, "impressive."

"Yeah, but don't go tellin' Lando that," Han folded his arms across his chest. "His head is big enough as it is. In fact, if you do that haughty princess-y thing you do—"

"My what?"

"There it is," Han smugly smile. "You do that and you just might deflate some of that air that's fillin' his head."

Leia narrowed her eyes upon the cocky man, "Never worked on you."

"Cos my head don't need any shrinkin', Sweetheart," Han's smile morphed into a lopsided grin.

"You keep telling yourself that," Leia muttered.

"Here," Han held out the towel as concerned displaced his amusement, "your lips are blue. Time to get out before you catch a cold."

The princess stared at the towel and clenched her teeth together to prevent them from chattering.

"I'll just put...it…"

Leia grabbed the edge of the tub and slowly pushed herself to her feet. Han's mouth formed an 'o' as he watched the water slide off of her skin and glisten under the gentle lights.

"Could you," Leia forced her voice passed her fears, "warm…me up?"

Han could do nothing but stare at the woman standing before him. Leia bit her bottom lip, her courage faltering. She reached out her hand and hoped Han would contribute her shivering to the temperature of the room.

Solo stared at her wet pallid hand and clenched his hand tight around the towel he held. He then took her hand, and with the grace of royalty, the princess stepped with delicate steps out of the tub. Han released her hand and wrapped the towel around her shoulder. He slid the towel down her body, moving with the towel until he was kneeling before her. He dragged the towel up her legs, sopping up the water droplets on her skin. He continued up her thighs and beyond, careful to dry every square centimeter of her. After he reached her abdomen, Han stood up and rubbed the ends of the towel beneath and over her breasts and finished by pulling the towel tight around her body.

"Better?" he whispered.

Leia nodded and gazed into his hazel eyes, "I'm still cold, though."

Han felt as if he was drowning in those large brown eyes that asked for something he knew she couldn't ask aloud. He let go of the towel and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to him. She didn't return his embrace but she did rest her forehead against his chest.

"Better?" he whispered again.

Han felt Leia's head nod, but she said nothing. He closed his eyes and rested his chin on top of her head. He wasn't certain if it was his body that trembled or hers. Possibly, they both trembled, for they were on uncharted territory. He longed for more, to feel her skin under his hands, against his own skin. But here she was, naked in his arms, and that in itself was more than enough. He inhaled deeply and smiled as the sweet scent of her hair and skin filled his nostrils.

Han's eyes popped open as his blaster rig clattered to the floor. Then he felt Leia's fingers fumbling around with his pants zipper. Every muscle in his body went rigid as he tried to stay as still as possible. Was this really happening? His eyes widened, and a stifled gasp escaped through his open mouth the moment her hands came in contact with his sensitive skin. The warmth of her hand sharply contrasted the room's temperature, which felt as if it had dropped more than a few degrees.

Han moved his hands to her face and pressed his mouth hard against hers. He held Leia's head and whirled her around without breaking contact with her lips. Leia's grip on him tightened as she tried to balance herself, and Han's kisses became more forceful and demanding. They stumbled until they could go no further. Han broke their connection, ran his hands through her hair, down her shoulders, and stopped on her hips. He then hoisted her up, holding Leia against the wall.

By instinct, Leia curled her legs around his waist and wrapped her arms around his neck. Han kept one hand on her backside and the other against the wall as he balanced her. Leia closed her eyes and buried her gasp in his shoulder as a strangely pleasurable pain pierced through her. Her nails dug into his shirt and into the skin of his bare neck. The smooth cool tile of the wall behind her and the heat radiating through Han's rough shirt intoxicated her to the point of dizziness as Han moved against her. Leia tried to memorize every minute detail, down to his scent and how her muscles shook as she clung to him. Her breathing became as labored and erratic as Han's, and just as she thought it would last forever, Han breathed something between a groan and sigh and dropped his head onto her shoulder. Leia renewed her hold on him, adjusting until there was almost no space between their bodies, and she kissed his neck before laying her cheek upon his shoulder.

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"My Lord," Darth Vader knelt down before the Emperor's throne.

"Lord Vader," the Emperor sighed and waved his hand. "You have disappointed me."

"Forgive me, My Lord," Vader raised his helmeted head and then climbed to his feet, "but that was not my intention."

"Just what _was _your intention?" The Emperor leaned forward before settling his left elbow onto the arm rest of his throne and resting his hand against his chin.

"She was making progress. Her anger has made her powerful."

"Yes, I have felt it." The Emperor sighed, "But she is not ready, and now the princess is most likely on her way back to her Rebel Alliance and a greater danger to us."

"I have my best intelligence officers tracking her." Darth Vader clenched his fists. "I do not think that she is as great a threat to us as you believe, My Lord."

Palpatine's mouth stretched open and closed, "And what makes you think that I am mistaken about the danger she poses?"

"I have penetrated a layer of her defenses and…enlightened her to certain truths," the Sith Lord explained as he squelched his own anger over the truths the Princess revealed to him.

"Truths, Vader?"

Vader closed his eyes and rolled them as he walked over to the window that overlooked the night lights of the City. "I interpreted history so that the princess could see the lies that she had been told by her insurgent sympathizing father."

"Father…"

Darth Vader's spine straightened and held his breath.

"Senator Bail Organa did that girl no favors," the Emperor frowned, his decrepit face crinkling into deep folds. "Nevertheless, Princess Leia is a strong-willed child. A few weeks of being tortured by you cannot erase a lifetime of indoctrination."

"Of course you are correct, My Lord," Vader clasped his hands behind his back and turned to face his Master. "But I have made irreparable cracks in her foundation. The girl is no longer the 'Princess Leia' those who know her will recognize. Even she does not recognize herself."

"Mmm, yes. I do feel that there is great truth in your words," Palpatine pressed her hands together, lifted his chin, and focused his sickly yellow eyes on his protégé. "What you have not told me is _why_ you did not present our prisoner to me."

"The princess is as clever as she has ever been, and her newly discovered talents—"

"Talents she does not fully control."

Vader pressed his tongue against the roof of his mouth before continuing, "She possessed enough control of her abilities to escape her prison and free Captain Solo as well."

Palpatine kept those haunted eyes on the Sith Lord but turned his head a centimeter to the left, "I sense that you had the power to stop her."

Vader opened and closed his clenched hands that still remained behind his back, "Of course, My Master. I have nothing to hide."

The Emperor narrowed his eyes on Darth Vader and then leaned back in his thrown, resting both arms on his throne.

The Sith Lord focused on the hiss of his respiration, "The Force instructed me to let her go."

Palpatine's tone stayed steady but his volume rose, "Funny that I did not sense this at all."

"Perhaps my connection to the princess is stronger because of the time I spent inside her mind." _Breathe in…breathe out…breathe in…breathe out…_

"Perhaps."

Vader gave a stifled nod, "Her time outside the walls of our prison will bring her back to me. I can _feel_ it."

"And when she returns to you, you _will_ bring her to me," the Emperor commanded.

"Of course, My Lord." Vader bowed his head and smiled to himself.


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7:

Han Solo sauntered into the room with a smile on his face. Things were finally working out for him. Lando had been more helpful than he expected, but then love makes a guy do things he'd never dream of doing. And Lando _loved _Tendra. Han had never seen his old smuggling buddy so generous with his resources without getting something in return. It did help that Tendra came from money. Even though, Lando usually wrangled a profit out of any deal he ever made. Han chuckled quietly. Lando definitely had it bad for Tendra.

Han's eyes hitched onto the golden head lying on the otherwise empty bed, and his sunny mood clouded over. He picked up Threepio's head and examined it. Han often threatened to have Chewie tear off the droid's various extremities when Threepio wouldn't shut up, but to rip his head off? Even that seemed a little harsh to Han.

"Leia?" He started toward the bathroom when a flicker of light coming from the walk-in closet caught his attention. His brow furrowed, "Leia?"

Solo's chest constricted as he forced his legs to move. His mouth went dry, and he struggled to swallow down the thick lump of dread that formed in his center of his throat.

"Hey, Sweetheart," Han smiled tightly, trying to sound casual.

Seated deep inside the closet, Leia lifted her eyes from the hazy images Artoo projected and rested them upon Han. Han's eyes flicked between her and the fluttering images. He pressed his lips together and renewed the faux smile he wore.

He then lifted Threepio's head, "What happened?"

The princess blinked a couple of times, "I didn't like the way he was looking at me."

Han's brow furrowed as he stared into the droid's face, "How…was he looking at you?"

Leia shrugged and turned her attention back to the images Artoo projected, "His eyes…I don't know. I just didn't like the way he looked at me."

"Okay," Han stretched the word as he tried to understand her. Maybe the droid said something. "Why didn't ya' just shut him off?"

She looked up at him again, a quizzical frown marring her face, "He was already deactivated."

Han nodded and then ran his hand through his hair, "Deactivated." He moved closer to her and crouched down, "Ya' know, for as long as I've known Goldenrod, I've only seen one expression on his face: this." He held the droid head up so that it was looking at her.

Leia slowly turned her head away from Han and Threepio's head.

Han cringed. He sat down next to her and put the droid's head on the floor, "I've wantin' to rip Goldenrod's head off for years. I'm just surprised you beat me to it."

Leia rubbed her nose with the back of her hand and kept her eyes on the holovid. Han's shoulders slumped, but he still wasn't ready to give up, "I woulda thrown his head out the window."

The princess turned her face toward the blue sky enhanced by overstuffed clouds, "It's not a real window. You'd destroy the illusion."

Han studied the holo-window with her. It was the perfect illusion. Inside Lando's extravagant home with its tranquil scenery windows, it was all too easy to forget that they were in the dark dredges of Coruscant. And it was all too easy to forget the danger Leia was in or what he had lost to stay with her. Han wouldn't mind just making this room his permanent home and losing himself in make-believe.

He glanced down at Leia and the hiccup of contentment washed away. Her large liquid eyes stole away any illusion that they could disappear into make-believe. Leia couldn't survive there, and he wouldn't survive without her. But he would do all that was in his power to find a way to make her happy, even if it took the rest of his life.

_Hope I live long enough._

Han looked at the holo-images Artoo projected. His stomach gurgled and teased his esophagus as he saw Luke and their parents, young and in love.

"What are ya' doin'?"

"Nothing."

Han tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear, "I know you miss Luke. I'm sorry. I wish I could—"

"You miss him too," she softly said. "And Chewie. I can feel the cracks in your heart. I wish I could fix it."

"You can't," Han smoothed the long braid that fell down her back.

"And you can't fix me."

"No, but you, sweetheart, make it easier." He pulled her head toward him and placed a kiss upon the crown of her head.

"Easier," Leia whispered as she gently leaned away from him. She looked at Luke's face with those big blue innocent eyes and easy smile. If she was the one who was sent to Tatooine to live with her aunt and uncle instead of him, would she be wide-eyed and curious about the worlds beyond the sandy planet?

"I'm glad he died."

"What?" Han's mouth went dry.

Leia studied the crinkles in the corners of Luke's happy eyes that were created by his open smile. "All this…Vader…it would have withered his soul and turned his heart into durasteel," she expelled. "He wanted to become a Jedi like his father…before him," she whispered.

Han was rendered speechless. He looked at Luke's image, his eyes hungry to remember his young friend's naive and eager-to-experience-the-galaxy mien.

"He knows," she muttered.

"Who?"

"Luke. I can feel it," Leia frowned. "But he's dead. Vader can't touch him." _Like he can touch me._

His eyes shifted to his young friends' father who appeared not much older than Luke, but their father carried worldly secrets in his intense blue eyes. His smile reminded Han of Leia's with its hint of sadness and weariness. But Leia most resembled her mother whose dark eyes and petite stature denoted her strength and resilience. Han could see that the pair loved each other, and that their love was intensely deep. How could that boy become so evil that he'd give up his wife and children to become Darth Vader?

"Why," she inhaled and sighed.

Leia's voice pulled him from his musings. Han studied her profile, "Why what?"

She twisted her fingers together and tipped her head so that she could look at Han without exposing herself. "Why do you love me?"

"What kinda question is that, Sweetheart?" Han raised his voice. Did she read his thoughts?

She looked back at the images before her and shrugged, "Just a question."

"Just a question," Han mumbled.

"You don't have to answer it."

"I'll answer it, but first I want to know why you're askin'."

"It's just a question," Leia huffed.

"No it's not! It's not _just_ a question!" Han stood up. "Why are you askin' me _now_?" Han glared down at the girl who kept her eyes on the holo-images. "Look at me, Leia!" She jumped with a start but complied with his command. Han's chest rose and fell as he stared into her large eyes that failed to contain her fear. "Nothing's changed."

"Everything's changed," she countered and pressed her lips together.

Han emitted a hybrid sigh and grunt, "Like what?"

Leia fought to control her respiration as she held his eyes with hers, "You've seen what I can do. I'm my father's daughter."

"Bail Organa is your father," Han yelled. "Not that inhuman freak of nature that tortured you!"

Leia's bottom lip quivered and Han dropped his head. His voice softened, "Vader didn't take care of you, raise you, or love you. Bail Organa did that. And…more importantly, Bail knew who your biological father was, and he still loved you."

Leia bit her lip but could not stifle the silent tears that slipped down her pallid cheeks. Han knelt down and used his thumbs to wipe away as many tears as he could. "I love you, Leia. I still love you, and I will always love you. Nothing can change that."

"Always in motion is the future," Leia mumbled, her eye far away and unfocused.

"Huh?"

She shook her head before returning her attention to him, "When I woke up, you weren't here. I couldn't remember where I was."

"Sorry, Sweetheart," Han kissed her lips. "I wanted to get things worked out with Lando. You looked so peaceful sleeping. I couldn't wake you." He turned his eyes to the flickering images of Luke, their mother, and their father. "Artoo shut that off."

"No."

"Artoo."

The astromech droid tweeted and whistled. Han took the princess' hands and pulled her to her feet, "Bet you wish you didn't take Threepio's head off."

"Why?"

"Cos now we don't know what Artoo is sayin'," Han sported a lop-sided gin.

Although faint trails of dried tears painted her face and her body slightly trembled, Leia smiled, and Han's heart spun. Leia picked up the discarded head of the droid.

"I suppose my actions were a bit rash," she grimaced.

Han took the head from her, "It was bound to happen sometime. Don't worry. I'll put 'im back together."

"Thank you," the princess stared down at her boots. "I'm so---"

Solo pressed his finger to her lips, "You have nothin' to be sorry about." He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her to him.

Leia leaned into Han and wiped away the last traces of her tears against the rough material of his shirt. Deep within her being, it felt as if every organ froze for a nanosecond and her chest burned, and Leia never loved Han more. She closed her eyes, losing herself in his embrace. If only she could stay in this state forever.

_Always in motion is the future…_

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Darth Vader sighed heavily as he stared out the bay window and watched the strings of traffic highlighted by the hazy sky. He was certain that the princess was still on Coruscant, but her presence in the Force was fleeting. He hadn't broken down all of her walls, and Vader suspected that she had been conditioned to block her presence from other Force sensitive beings and had no control over this ability. Obi Wan did something right. Or it was the work of Yoda himself…

Vader stepped away from the window and closed his eyes. He _had_ managed to break through the barriers inside the princess' mind, so his attempts were fruitful. If he hadn't he wouldn't have the ability to sense her at all. However, it infuriated him that the moments he sensed her presence lasted no longer than a few minutes. The Emperor was right; she wasn't ready. _So why did I let her go?_

It was better she escape then become the Emperor's new protégé, Vader consoled himself. Princess Leia hated him, her father, more than the Emperor himself. He was certain of that. She could be easily turned against him and take his place by the Emperor's side. The Sith Lord had to find his daughter and win her over, but that would be no easy feat.

"Lord Vader?"

Darth Vader opened his eyes and slowly turned toward the man who interrupted his musings, "Yes, Lieutenant."

"We have monitored all out-going commercial flights at every docking bay on Coruscant," the Lieutenant reported, a touch of pride in his voice. Coordinating such a search with all the local governors and Imperial officers in such a short time was quite an accomplishment. He had no doubts that his Lord would be pleased.

"What about the non-commercial docking bays?"

The Imperial officer swallowed, "Military bays?"

"Well?"

"Uh…no reports of stolen ships have been reported."

"None from any bases on the planet?" Vader took a step forward.

"No," the Lieutenant answered, his voice wavering. "But I shall personally double check." He began to turn to leave.

"And the private docking bays?"

"Sir," a stream of sweat trickled down the Imperial's neck and dampened the starch collar of his uniform. "Uh…not yet. Searching private docking bays will take longer."

"It is more likely that the princess would seek out a private ship than steal one from an Imperial base or use public transportation."

"O-of course, M-my Lord," the Lieutenant stammered. "But…there are many…private docking bays, some we are not aware of."

Darth Vader remained silent, and his haunting respiration filled the void and inspired fear in his underling.

"The princess is well-known her on Coruscant," the Lieutenant's voice rose in pitch and wavered above a whisper. "I do not think any citizen, even if they are sympathetic towards the rebellion, would risk their lives for such a high profile fugitive, especially with our secret intelligence monitoring every move of the citizens."

"And if one of our esteemed citizens does aid her?"

The Lieutenant locked his knees to stifle his trembling, "She would no longer be on Coruscant."

Vader turned away from the Lieutenant and gazed out the window. "No," he said more to himself than to the officer who served him. "The princess is still on Coruscant."

"I could get my men to pull all records on private ships that have docked on Coruscant," the Lieutenant rattled off.

"I do not have faith in your abilities, Lieutenant," Vader frowned. "You have failed me."

"I shall---" the Lieutenant grabbed his throat and gasped in a futile attempt to remove the invisible vise that closed off his air way. His green eyes bulged as he crumpled to the floor.

Darth Vader sighed as the tension left his body. He strode over to examine his handiwork and smiled. He pushed the man's body over so that he could look into his face. Vader appraised the mask of horror on the dead man's countenance. The pleasure incited by its expression outshined any inconveniences that this man's death would pose on his search for the princess.

Vader stepped away from the corpse and leisurely strode over to the comm console. Pulling ship records would take time, but it may be the only way to find Princess Leia and Captain Solo. He tapped his finger against the chin of his dark mask. If he started at the lowest levels of the city, perhaps the search wouldn't take so long.

Darth Vader positioned himself in front of the comm console, making sure his posture was as intimidating as possible. He pressed the button, "Commander."

"Y-yes, My Lord?" the pale man stammered.

The Sith Lord smiled as he gave the frightened man his orders.


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8:

Han Solo leaned against the door jam, crossed one foot over the other, and hooked his hands in his pockets. His hazel eyes marveled at the sight before him. Princess Leia watched the rain fall outside the bay window that overlooked the thicket below. She used her index finger to follow the erratic patterns of those drops that clung to the glass. Han tilted his head and studied the intricate spirals and dots that made up the semi-permanent tattoo that grew from her fingers and up her arm like Socioto ivy. Tendra Calrissian had cut Leia's waist length hair so that it hung about five centimeters pass her shoulders. Her hair was a few shades darker than normal, and it twisted in thick shiny waves that seemed to take on a life of their own.

His eyes then fell to her attire. The princess wore a dress unlike any other Han had seen her wear. It was a sleeveless shift that hugged her curves and relaxed into a thinly layered skirt that rippled down to her knees. The midnight blue dress shimmered under the natural light penetrating the window despite the rain. A gossamer black sweater, cropped just under her breasts, and a pair of black combat boots sporting several silver buckles contrasted the sweet demeanor of the rest of her outfit.

Leia turned her head and smiled at Han through several thick wavy locks that fell over her face. The contentment radiating from that smile was contagious, and Han unwittingly imitated her serene expression.

"Much better than Hoth," Leia said, her eyes twinkling.

"Definitely," Han sidled up next to her and looked out the window. "How come you weren't stationed here instead of Hoth?"

She leaned her shoulder against the window as she gazed upon Han, "Hoth needed someone experienced, and…" Leia sighed, "I wanted to prove myself, show them I'm more than just a figurehead to be used as a pawn…" _used one way or another. She couldn't escape that. _Leia shook her head loose of those thoughts. "Besides, this is more of a sleeper cell than a base."

Han took her hand and traced the marks on the back of it with his pinkie finger. His touch was light and gentle and sent chills throughout her entire body. Leia closed her eyes and tipped her chin up.

"It's beautiful."

"Tendra is quite talented."

He released her hand and pushed her hair aside to expose the delicate jewels glued upon her pallid skin. The glimmering azure dots were connected to each other with thin wispy markings that framed the corners of her eyes. The blue swirls shimmered in the light and highlighted the amber flecks in her large dark eyes. The painted decorations and the attire were that of the traditional costume of a Nongpan. Nongpans were highly cultured human and humanoid beings trained not only in the arts of pleasuring their Hompan but in the arts of weaponry and Sumpoti fighting so that they could serve as their Hompan's body guard. Leia's royal upbringing and her fighting skills made it easy enough for her to play the role of a Nongpon. And so far, her mannerism and disguise plus the retina altering lenses got them through several checkpoints between Coruscant and Ruan.

Han, too, wore a disguise, but his was much simpler than the princess'. His brown hair cropped short sported patches of gray at his temples. His attire remained simple and comfortable despite the high quality and gentlemanly air about them. Han's look was finished with a brown duster coat that all but screamed old money. Like Leia, he wore retina altering lenses. Lando, no, Tendra provided them a healthy sum of credits, and not even the Imperial security took them for anything other than a Hompan and his Nongpan.

"I like this new look," Han drawled as eyes traveled up and down her body. He leaned in and kissed her tenderly on the lips.

Leia arched her brow, "What was wrong with my old look?"

Han opened his mouth but then relaxed as Leia cracked a mischievous grin. He wrapped his arms around her waist, "You always look good."

The princess rolled her eyes, and Han laughed. He ran his hand through her hair as he assessed the texture and color.

"You okay with it?"

Leia watch her hair slide through Han's hand, "Yes. I feel…like a weight has been taken off of me."

Han's mouth quirked to the right, "Was your hair really that heavy?"

Leia sighed but the levity of the moment slipped away. She touched the ends of her tresses and examined them in the light, "Not literally. I just feel…" she stopped and looked out the window. "I don't feel like me…I'm not me."

"You okay with that?"

The princess touched the glass again, and her voice dropped to nothing more than a whisper, "I don't know." Han twisted her hair around his fingers and stared out the window as he waited for her speak.

Finally, she sighed and pressed her palm against the cool glass, "I don't know who I am anymore."

He nodded and pressed his palm against the glass so that their thumbs touched. "You're the woman I fell in love with."

"And who is that?"

Han groaned. "Not this again!"

"What again," Leia narrowed her eyes on him and started to leave.

"Oh, Leia," Han grabbed her shoulders and made her face him. "Your dress, your title…your parents, birth or otherwise, and the Alliance, they don't define you. I don't care about any of that stuff. Ne'er have." He cupped her face in one hand and stroked her cheek with his thumb. Han then sighed, "Have you ever held my past, my, my…_station_ in society against me?"

Leia bit her lower lip and shook her head.

"Good," Han winked, inciting a stunted smile from the princess. He placed a soft kiss on the tip of her nose. "Then I don't have to explain to ya' why I love you." He moved his other hand to her face and swept some locks of hair away from her eyes, "Or why you love me."

Leia arched an eyebrow, "I _love_ you?"

"Uh-huh," Han nodded. "And I love you."

Leia didn't know if she should laugh or cry. She stepped forward and rested her forehead against his chest and her clasped hands against his stomach.

"I'm afraid," she mumbled.

"I know," Han wrapped his arms around her and gently rocked her. "But you're not alone."

"Excuse me, Your Highness, Captain Solo." A slender woman with an air of regality about her entered the room. She, too, had markings on her hands and jewels adorned her face like Leia's but her dress of green shimmer silk was form fitting and embossed with glittering beads. The red haired woman bowed her head slightly, "There is a hail from a Lando Calrissian."

Han released Leia, and faced the Sensei Nongpan. The red-haired woman slipped on an inviting smile, a smile that drew other beings to her and incited them to desire her company, which was part of her position on Ruan.

"You can use the comm in the downstairs. It's more private and there's less of a chance you'll be interrupted."

"Thank you, Jylisa." Han looked at Leia and she gave him a small nod. Han left the two women.

"Your Highness, why don't we use this time for lessons?" The Sensei Nongpan bowed her head slightly. "Would you like me to teach you the tea ceremony?"

Leia struggled to imitate the taller woman's smile, "I would like that. Thank you."

The princess took the Sensei Nongpan's hand and allowed the woman to lead her away. She glanced over her shoulder at the window. The sun was fighting its way through the gentle gray clouds. She forced herself to look away. This wasn't her real life, and she could never stay. If only…

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Darth Vader stood with his arms crossed over his chest as he peered over the shoulder of his new assistant, though this trembling man wasn't doing much to assist him. He watched the data scroll down the screen as his assistant nimbly tapped the keyboard. Vader knew his presence was more than enough to "inspire" his assistant to do his best work, and Vader also knew that his assistant was working to the best of his capabilities, which were impressive to say the least, because he feared for his life. And that's exactly why the Sith Lord supervised his assistant's work rather than tend to other strategies of finding the princess before the Emperor did.

Again the Dark Lord questioned his own decisions and actions he had taken or not taken. At the time, he was certain letting Princes Leia escape was the right decision. She would be easier to reclaim from the galaxy than from the Emperor. The last thing Vader wanted was the Emperor to get his gnarled hands on his daughter before she submitted her will to his, her father's will. He needed her to overthrow the Emperor and put the galaxy in the right order.

_Anakin, you were the Chosen One!_

Darth Vader stepped away from the console and felt his assistant relax a touch. He clenched his teeth together. He, Anakin Skywalker, a boy born into slavery, conceived without a father, was supposed to be the Chosen Once. Qui Gon said so, freed him from slavery…_but not my mother…_ because he was the Chosen One. Vader dropped his arms to his side and focused on his respiration. Chosen One or not, _he_ was the most powerful Jedi, even more powerful than Yoda. He shouldn't need anyone, much less an inexperienced child who hated him more than the Emperor. And that fact was a dangerous one. _That_ was why he let her go.

_Is that really the reason why you let her go?_

The Sith Lord blinked as he focused on his auditory receptors. That thought, perhaps one he'd reluctantly admit, had crossed his mind but never so loudly, never so…foreign. Yoda's face flashed to the front of his mind. But even before Yoda's accusatory green eyes glared at him, Vader knew that Yoda was not the one to whisper this thought.

_Why did you let her go?_

Those words his but not his, perhaps not his at all. There was something familiar at the same time completely unfamiliar.

"Sir?"

Darth Vader sighed, relieved to have his thoughts interrupted. "What is it?"

"I've located the Wookie," he announced.

Vader strode over to the console, "Yes?"

"He's on Ceria."

"Arrange to have an agent purchase him," Vader purred. "And have the Wookie delivered to Jabba the Hutt on Tatooine."

"Considered it done."

"Make sure it is known throughout the smuggling chain that the Wookie has been captured by Jabba the Hutt," Darth Vader smiled.

"Yes, sir."

Darth Vader's cape whirled around as he strode toward the exit. Soon it wouldn't matter why he let Princess Leia escape with Captain Solo. Soon it would be of no consequence.

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"What is it?" Leia rose from her seat as Han came into the room.

"Huh?" Han looked up from the floor.

"I'll leave you two be," the Sensei Nongpan bowed and disappeared through a hallway.

"Han?"

Han rubbed his hand over the back of his head as he gazed upon the princess. "Lando located Chewie."

"Is he okay?" Leia wanted to run to Han but took several steps backward.

"Lando thinks so," he crossed the room and sat down on the flow chair.

Leia stayed where she was and shivered. "Where is he?" she whispered. _Please not with Vader…_

Han shook his head then buried his face in his hands. His stomach churned and his world seemed to spin.

_I'm afraid._

_I know. But you're not alone._

"Han?" she probed.

He leaned back in the chair, more tense than relaxed, and rubbed his palms against his pants. He scrutinized his fine clothes and shiny boots. Leia wondered who she was. She knew who she was at one point. Han still had no more of an idea of who he was than he had in his younger years.

"Vader, I'm assuming, ordered a sweep on all private docking bays."

"Oh, no."

"Lando and Tendra were already gone, but the Imperials tore apart their logs and, well, they're under a lot of suspicion." Han sighed.

"I'm sorry," Leia twisted her fingers together. She slowly walked over to him and knelt down beside him despite the generous space on the chair next to Han.

"You have nothing to be sorry about," he rested his hand upon her head. "Huh…they know Lando and me have a history."

"Do they know where Lando is?" She rested her hands on his knee and looked up at him.

Han looked into those large worried eyes and stroked her hair. His expression softened, "Doubt it. Lando was a smuggler and knows how to take care of himself."

"I hope he's better than you," Leia quipped, and Han couldn't help but smile. "So where's Chewie?"

Han sighed and focused his eyes on the abandoned tea set on the short table. "Ceria. But he was sold to some traders."

"Just great," Leia muttered and rested her chin on his knee.

Han lips curved up but they stayed firmly pressed together. "It might be."

"How?"

"Lando thinks…he thinks he knows where the b-trader is taking him."

Leia furrowed her brow, "Traders?"

Han waved his hand, "Whoever."

Leia stretched her neck so that she could peer into Han's troubled eyes. A wave of heat surfaced in her cheeks and chest. _What are you not telling me?_ She wanted to scream. She rolled her lips between her teeth before she spoke, "Where does Lando think they're taking Chewie?"

"He's didn't tell me," Han snapped, and Leia sat up. He looked at her. "Sorry. It's just…"

"I know you're worried about Chewie," Leia gracefully climbed to her feet as she braced herself for the lie she knew was coming. "I am too." _Please don't lie to me…please._

"Anyway," Han slowly exhaled. "Lando's hopin' to find the traders and take 'em by surprise. Then we won't have to worry about where Chewie ends up."

The princess nodded and turned toward the window. The sun drilled through the glass and the glare sent a chill through her body. She hugged herself as she took small steps toward the window. Leia could feel tremors run through her limbs. She held her hand out in front of her, but her steady hand gave no signs of the shakiness inside her.

"We need a ship," Leia said, but she knew Han already had thought of that.

"That's gonna be a problem."

"Maybe not," Leia touched the window. The glass was warm but it brought her no comfort. "I have off-planet funds. I can—"

"Uh-uh," Han stood and shook his head. "Not after what happened on Ord Mantell."

Leia rested her forehead against the glass, "The Alliance could provide us a ship."

"Yeah, that seems likely," Han snorted.

"They'll help," she glance over her shoulder. "Chewie has done a lot for the Alliance."

Han feigned concentration, pulling on his bottom lip as he crossed the room to stand next to her. Leia looked back out the window. She closed her eyes to hold back her tears. Han wanted to take her back to the Alliance. She could feel the satisfaction rise off of him. Han knew where Chewie was expected to be, and he didn't want her help. Leia rubbed her tongue against the roof of her mouth. _You're not alone._ But she will be soon. She exhaled, surprised to see her breath fog the glass despite the heat.

"We should leave as soon as possible," she conceded. "We'll continue traveling by public transportation until we're closer to the rendezvous point, if it's still active."

Han stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She shrugged him off.

"I've got to find Sensei Nongpan," she said. "I still have things to learn about being a Nongpan."

"Sure," Han nodded and watched her flee the room. He expelled a long drawn out breath. Leia knew he was hiding something, and he knew it had nothing to do with the Force. Fibbing to her broke his heart and the slick Sabaac-faced smuggler crumbled in her presence. He never wanted to hurt Leia, but he didn't want to drag her into a dangerous situation he doubted he'd walk away from. He knew the fiery princess could hold her own against the grimy company that fed off of Jabba's moody nature, but if he failed, Leia could end up in Vader's hands again and Jabba would be all the richer for it. She would be safer hiding within the Alliance. They would take care of her.

_I wanted to show them I'm more than just a figurehead to be used as a pawn._

Han slammed his fist against the window. Better she hate him than suffer. He walked away from the window wondering why he didn't leave her, Luke, and the rest of the Alliance when he had the chance.

_They're gonna kill her!_

_Better her than me._

Even though Leia never heard him utter those words, Han couldn't shake off the shame that came with them.


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9:

Han Solo glanced around the smoky room and swallowed in an attempt to eradicate the metallic taste coating his tongue. This taste was not the product of his environment but rather from a memory of being in a place like this before. That place wasn't as fancy and lacked the laser light décor and marbled granisteel tables of this "upscale" establishment, and it wasn't located on a planet orbiting the inner core. No, that cantina of long ago was the hub of a sandy settlement in the middle of nowhere.

Han's eyes tried to penetrate the heavy haze, scanning the occupants lounging against the bar, dancing, or playing cards. The patrons of this bar looked no different than those at the Tatooine cantina, and Han found himself futilely looking for his co-pilot, an old man wearing odd clothes, and a young boy with large blue eyes and tousled hair. _Would he have taken the job and ferried the boy, old man, and those two annoying droids to Alderaan if he knew what he did now?_

He looked down at his companion whose features were hidden under a dark cloak. She wouldn't be there standing next to him if he didn't take the old man's offer _no questions asked…_

Princess Leia, still playing the role of Han's Nongpan, step ahead of Han and surveyed the room. She held her hands folded as she sank deeper inside the establishment.

"To the right," Han whispered.

Leia gave the slightest nod of acknowledgement and led Han through the blue haze to the darkened booths lining the back of the bar. The princess' dark eyes narrowed as she scrutinized the clients who preferred to remain in the shadows. She lightly touched the minds of those beings, assessing their general disposition. She stopped, tilted her head to the right, and remained as still as a jenabi bug. Han held his breath, unsure what to do. To say that Leia was unpredictable these days was a huge understatement. Nevertheless, Han didn't hesitate to place all of his faith in her. Ever so subtle, her decorated hand slowly slid down her side and out of her cloak. She grabbed the edge of her skirt and feigned straightening it as she pointed to a booth under a broken neon light with her pinkie finger. Han rolled his lips between his teeth to contain his smile.

"Good girl," Han whispered in a teasing yet awestruck tone.

Leia pulled her hand back under her cloak without any acknowledgement of his comment. Han moved around her, and she fell in step behind him. He approached a booth where a stark blonde human man lounged with one foot on the table and one arm stretched over the booth.

_Did I look like that to Luke and the ol' man?_

Without waiting for an invitation, Han slid into the booth and Leia followed suit.

"So what do I owe the pleasure?" the blonde man smiled and his lips disappeared.

"I'm guessin' you're lookin' for a job that pays well and doesn't require a lot from you," Han mimicked the easiness of the man but settled with a knowing closed-mouth smile.

"Isn't everyone?" the man fanned his fingers to emphasize his words.

"What make do you fly?"

"Now, that's a personal question, Mister…"

"Solo."

"Solo…" Han's name slithered out of the pilot's mouth. His icy gray eyes flicked to Leia and soak every inch of her body. "And her?"

The princess' brow ached to arch. Han reached out and brushed her cheek with the back of his hand. "She's my Nongpan."

"Nongpan," the man licked his lips. "A real life Nongpan in this wretched hell-hole. What an honor." The man sat upright and leaned forward, "Can I getta look?"

Han opened his mouth to object, but the princess lifted her hands to the hood of her cloak and slowly pushed it back. The man licked his lips and widened his smile, "Nice."

"Since we're on introductions…" Han's voice commanded the attention of the man.

"Oh…yeah," he scratched his head. "I'm Mron Elrach, and I own the fastest ship in the galaxy."

Leia felt Han bristle beside her, and she bit the skin inside her cheek to distract her from the guilt that haunted her. She needed to stay focused. Han shifted his position, resting his elbows on the table. "The fastest you say?"

"Nothin' can catch my sweet beauty, not even those Imp cruisers," Elrach leaned back and licked his lips.

Solo frowned as he assessed Mron Elrach. His eyes remained on the man but the image of his beloved _Millennium Falcon_ torn up and crumpled blurred his vision. Now that the _Falcon_ was gone, it was possible Elrach wasn't lying. But then, Han did his fair share of embellishing the truth more than once in his life time. It was part of the negotiations. Maximum pay out was the only thing that mattered.

_Seventeen thousand…You got yourself a ship, old man._ Han glanced down at his companion who's large almond shaped eyes remained fixed on their possible pilot. Han wasn't sure he liked that look glinting in her eyes.

"Why don't you go get us drinks," he nudged her with his elbow to grab her attention. Han then looked at Elrach, "What would you like?"

Elrach looked down at his half empty glass, "Yeah, another one would be nice. Get me a Coruscanti rum. Thank you, Sweetheart."

Leia's jaw tightened, and Han held his breath. He reached out, took her hand, and kissed her palm, "She don't like to be called Sweetheart except by me."

"Then what should I call her?" the blonde pilot tilted his head as his predatory gray eyes roved over her body.

"Yer doin' business with me," Han pointed his thumb at his chest, "not her."

The princess swallowed down her indignation and looked at Han. "What would you like?"

Han pulled credits from his shirt pocket and handed them to Leia, "I'll have the usual. And get yourself one, too."

"Thank you," she replied in a flat tone.

"Be sure to bring back the change," Han smirked and gave a gentle swat to her backside as she turned to leave. Leia froze, and Han cringed. He might have taken it too far. He swallowed, and the tension in his shoulder lifted when she continued on her mission.

Han and Elrach watched Leia weave her way to the bar. Both men remained silent until she disappeared into the diverse crowd.

"Beautiful thing," the stark blonde man purred.

"Yeah," Han growled.

"Tell me," Elrach's lips quirked to the left, "are Nongpans as…_good_ at their jobs as they say?"

Han raised his right eyebrow, "Better."

Elrach shook his head and his lipless smile once again widened, "I'd sure like to get me one of those."

"They don't come cheap, and they don't just take anyone as a client," Han stated. "Gotta have certain qualities just to get an audience."

"An audience," he raised his eyebrows. "Hmm..And yer saying I don't have them certain qualities?" Elrach's colorless eyes narrowed.

"Not saying anything. Just statin' the facts." Han caught Leia's approach in his peripheral vision. He cleared his throat, "So you were tellin' me what model ship you pilot."

"Not just pilot, Solo. Own." Elrach noticed Leia's return and his gray eyes glued themselves to her petite form.

"Own," Han grunted.

"It's a Nubian yacht," Elrach slumped in the seat, his mouth quirked up into a smug expression. "H-type. The _Starlight Breeze._"

"That's a pretty old ship," Han frowned. "I didn't think there were any around anymore."

"Well, there is, and I happen to own it." Han's potential pilot glanced up at the princess, "Welcome back, Swee--huh. Why don't you sit next to me?"

The princess gave her companion a quizzical look but said nothing. She placed the Coruscanti rum in front of their potential pilot. Han smiled when he saw the Corellian whisky next to a frothy blue glass accented with a skewer of chunks of fruits. Leia favored him with a closed-mouth smile conveying an air of sweetness about her. She sat down next to Elrach, careful to keep her distance.

"Your usual," she placed the frothy blue drink in front of Han, and then placed the whiskey in front of her. "No change left."

Leia narrowed her eyes on Han while smiling and tipped the glass of whiskey to her lips. Elrach coughed until the hacking noise melded into a raspy laugh as Leia swallowed the strong whiskey in one gulp. His right brow arched and he shot Leia a smoldering look. Leia kept her large dark eyes on Han.

"Don't worry," she held her chin high to prevent laughing. "Your Alderaanian sunset is a virgin, just like you like it."

"Yeah," Han removed the straw and took a sip of the drink. "Yummy. Just how I like it."

Elrach studied Han for a moment, "Not a drinker?"

"Not when I'm making a deal." Han kicked Leia under the table, but her amusement overshadowed any pain his foot caused.

"And we're making a deal?"

"You tell me," Han leaned back. "We need passage to the Sullust system."

Elrach raised his chin and consumed the rest of his rum, "Hhmmm…it's possible that I could ferry you there." The man stopped and touched the spiky tips of his hair. "I could use another drink. Coruscanti rum would be nice."

Han nodded at Leia. She stood looking down so her hair covered her face and rolled her eyes. "Would you like another usual?"

"Nah, I'm good."

Leia turned on her heal and headed back to the bar. Han's toes curled in his boots, and the hand under the table fingered his blaster. He wanted nothing more at the minute than to blast this man to bits, but Leia probably would object to that. After all, she was the one who picked this guy, and as nervous this man made him, Han trusted Leia's judgment.

"So whaddya charge for passengers?"

Elrach's eyes darted around as he bit his lip.

"Ne'er take passengers?"

"No, that's not it. I uh…" Elrach pulled on his right earlobe that was several centimeters longer than the other.

"Yer a smuggler," Han stretched his lips into a predatory smile.

"Some days, yeah," Elrach shifted in his seat. "But I mostly deal with passengers."

Han's brow furrowed, "Then what's the problem?"

"The Imps have been makin' my job a wee bit more difficult than usual."

Han pressed his lips together and took a swig of the blue drink. Then he sat back, "How so?"

Before Elrach had time to answer, Leia reappeared and placed the glass in front of him. He grabbed Leia's hand and studied the markings on it. Elrach's rough fingers burned Leia's skin, and she resisted the urge to throw the drink in his face. Nevertheless, the well-trained diplomat kept her composure, and her pleasant smile hid any discomfort this man inspired in her.

"These are real nice," he continued to rub his fingers over her skin, no longer tracing her Nongpan markings.

Han growled through clenched teeth. "Can we get back to business?"

"Of course," Elrach responded but his eyes remained on Leia. He gently pulled her hand, "Why don't you stay sittin' here next to me?"

"Hey," Han reached out to take Leia's free hand but Elrach pulled her out of reach. "A Nongpan isn't a slave or prostitute. She picks her Hompan."

"And that's you. I understand," Elrach nodded but kept his gray eyes on the princess' dark ones. "So it should be okay for her to sit next to me then." He winked at Leia, "If that pleases you?"

Leia inclined her head and smiled warmly, "That would greatly please me."

She slid into the booth next to Elrach who gave her limited space. Han's jaw tightened and his fingers unclipped the holster. He knew Leia was playing nice with the pilot, but he would prefer that she didn't play it that nice. Han caught the princess' eyes for the briefest moments, hoping to convey his emotions. She showed no sign that she noticed. She was the one now in control, and Han wasn't exactly sure she had the skills to pull off a good negotiation. Yeah, she was a senator, but negotiating with diplomats wasn't the same as negotiating with scum. Things weren't exactly going as he planned, but when do they ever do?

"Can we finish our business? Or should we go find another pilot."

"I like this pilot," the princess smiled up at Elrach.

"'Course you do," Han mumbled as he took a large gulp of his frothy drink. He shook his head and then shot Leia a stern look. Elrach turned his attention back to Han, and Han's expression melded into a smile.

"So what's your fee?"

"Oh…I'd say," Elrach's mouth squeezed into an 'o', "ten thousand."

Han slowly raised his glass to his mouth again, swallowed it down, and placed it on the table without removing his hand. "Ten thousand's quite a lot."

"Well, I suppose I could give you a cheaper rate if you allow me access to your Nongpan," the pilot smiled and smoothed Leia's hair with one hand.

"Our business is done," Han stood up and reached out a hand. "Leia?"

The princess tilted her head and pouted her lips, "We don't have a lot of options."

"And now we have less," Han's eyes widened and retracted.

"Please sit," Leia lowered her chin and twisted her lips into a devious smile that both soothed and worried Solo. "I'm sure we can work out something."

Han sat down, folded his arms across his chest, and glared at the princess. Leia paid him no mind. She rested her elbow on the table and turned her body toward Elrach.

"So why such a high price for such an easy job?" she rested her chin on her hands.

"Sullust is a bit outa my way," he slipped a finger between some strands of her hair and brushed them aside.

Han inhaled and looked away, "We'd hate to be a burden."

"I'm guessing that we aren't the only passengers you've wooed," Leia arched her right eyebrow and leaned slightly forward.

Han's brow furrowed then relaxed along with the tightness around his mouth, "Imps givin' you trouble, huh?"

Leia shot Han a warning look as her voice carried an innocent lilt, "Perhaps providing us passage to the Sullust System would give you less trouble with the Imperials? After all, we're legitimate paying customers, a _legal_ business deal."

"You are a very smart woman," Elrach's casual attitude slipped away.

"That's why she's a Nongpan," Han smirked.

"Okay," Elrach sighed. "I can be…flexible with the fee."

"Before we decide on a reasonable price," she purred, "I'd like to know your ship's security code."

Elrach's brow furrowed, "Huh?"

Leia's eyes flicked to Han who wore a similar expression to Elrach's. Her smile eased into smugness. She laid her hand on the confused pilot's hand, commanding his attention, "Tell me the security code to your ship."

"It's..one-five..six-eight…four, ten," Elrach mumbled.

"One, five, six, eight, four, ten," Leia repeated glancing at Han. "And where is your ship docked?"

"Docking bay forty-five."

"I'd say a fair price would be," she rolled her lips between her lips as she traced circles with her finger upon the table, "six thousand."

Elrach scratched his hair, making one of the spikes in his hair bounced up and down, "I would hafta discuss it—"

The princess pressed her lips together, and spoke before he could finish, "Mr. Solo will need to see your documents before we close the deal."

"Of course," Elrach fumbled to pull his documents out of his shirt pocket. He slid them over to Han, "You'll find them in order I'm sure."

"Yeah, I'm sure," Han muttered as he lifted. Han lifted the documents and studied them.

A familiar snap-hiss caught his attention and Han looked up at the princess. Her painted hand moved over Elrach's eyes, closing them with a gentle swipe. Another snap-hiss and she reached over to Han's drink.

"Leia?" Han whispered.

The princess slid the glass in front of their would-be pilot. She lifted Elrach's limp hand and positioned his fingers around the stem of the glass.

"Leia?" Han's voice wavered between uncertainty and fear. "Whaddya just do?"

"What I had to," she answered. Her body language conveyed confidence, but her eyes told a different story. "Come on. We have to get out of here."

Han rolled his eyes, "I'll say." He gathered Elrach's documents and shoved them into his coat pocket.

Han had to quick step it to catch up with the princess who threaded between the patrons of the establishment. She moved as slick as a grolat, and her short stature didn't make it any easier for Han to track her moves. A slender clearing presented itself near the make-shift dance floor, and Leia took an advantage of it. She twisted her shoulders to squeeze between a Rodian and a Twi'lek. Just as she cleared the tipsy dancers a bearded man twice her size slammed into her. Han shoved a Gormeran out of the way and caught her before she hit the floor. He then drew back his fist and punched the offending man hard enough to send him flaying in the opposite direction. The man remained on the floor, but his fall incited a brawl on the dance floor. Han then took hold of the princess' arm and dragged her toward the back door exit.

The brisk air slammed into Han's face like a slap from a scorned woman. He rubbed his arm across his forehead, wiping away a layer of sweat that refused to be eradicated. His hand still held the princess' arm in a vice grip, though he was unaware that she was still with him. His mind spun as he tried to make sense of what just happened. Normally, he could blame his disorientation on alcohol, but not a drop of alcohol circulated through his veins. And Chewie wasn't by his side keeping him grounded in reality.

Princess Leia jerked Han to a stop and expelled the contents of her stomach. Han let her arm go and gathered her hair out of her face. He looked around and noticed they were in a narrow dark alley littered with rancid garbage and inebriated beings lost in their own oblivion. Han looked back to where they came from. The bar was nowhere in sight, and it had appeared they had made more than two or three turns during their hasty retreat. Han glanced down at the princess who was still doubled over vomiting. And once again during this night, Han had to wonder who led whom out of the bar.

"Leia?" his voice quivered.

Leia rested her hands on her knees and tried to catch her breath. She stood upright and gazed up at Han, "I'm fine."

Han's brow wrinkled. Her make-up remained flawless, but her skin was pale and clammy and her hands trembled. She pulled at the hem of her dress and looked away.

"You don't look fine." Han braced himself for her assault.

The princess swiped a lock of stretched out waves out of her eyes and curled her lips into something resembling a smile, "Next time I'll let you have the Corellian whiskey."

"Yeah, right," Han put his hands on his hips and narrowed his hazel eyes on her. He had seen her down seven Corellian whiskeys in one sitting.

Leia rolled her eyes and expelled a shaky sigh that did little to comfort him. She shook her head and started on her way, "We don't have time to waste."

"Yes, Your Worshipfulness," Han snarked.

The experienced smuggler matched her stride which was quite impressive when her height was taken into consideration. "So, what's the plan? Walk right into the docking bay and take his ship?"

"Sounds like a good plan to me."

"A good plan?" Han stopped for a moment but when the princess kept going, he slammed his hands on his thighs and shook his head. "Is the galaxy goin' crazy?"

"It's just you," Leia quipped.

He raised his eyebrows and smirked at the very "Leia" response.

"Aren't you forgettin' somethin'?"

She paused in mid-step and Han's smirk morphed into a lop-sided grin.

Leia continued forward without turning around, "No. You?"

"What would I be forgettin'?" Han muttered.

She glanced over her shoulder and arched her eyebrow, "Do you really want me to answer that question?"

"Nice," he rolled his eyes. "So, Little Miss Brilliant, how we gonna steal Elrach's ship—"

"We have the needed documents and security code. Should be a piece of cake."

"Kessel cake," Han huffed. He then grabbed Leia's cloak and pulled her back at the entrance of the docking bay.

Leia's large dark eyes drifted around the bay's interior, and a rope tightened in her stomach when a couple of stormtroopers passed between two ships.

"Okay, maybe a piece of Kessel cake."

Han lifted the hood of her cloak and carefully arranged it over her head so that her face remained shadowed. "I'm not as worried about them troopers than I am about Elrach's partner."

"We don't have to worry about him."

Han pursed his lips and lowered his brow, "How do you know that?"

"I drugged him," she simply answered.

"O…kay," Han reached out and tipped her face towards him. "How do you know you drugged him when we were never introduced to him…or her?"

"Him," she answered, and Han noticed her pallid face and glassy eyes defied her confident tone. She shook his hand away but held his eyes with hers. "He was the large man you punched."

"How…?"

"I dropped some Xiong-so in his drink when I ordered our drinks," she shrugged. "We don't have to worry about him. Shall we be on our way?"

Han grabbed her shoulder, "I mean how did you know who he was?"

"I just did," she whispered.

"Look," he raised his voice and Leia flinched. "I don't get it. _You_ picked the pilot. Why kill him and drug his partner?"

"Once they reached their destination—"

"Sullust."

She shook her head, "Not Sullust."

"Where then?" Han folded his arms across his chest.

"Don't know," Leia frowned. "Wherever they were dropping their cargo. They needed passengers to look legitimate. Once they did that, they were going to kill you and…well, their intentions weren't good."

Han huffed and ran a hand through his hair, "I still don't get it."

"What's there to get?" a tinge of anger coated her words, and she headed into the hangar.

"Leia," Han hissed as he followed her. The last thing he wanted was to attract the attention of the stormtroopers patrolling the docking bay. "Why'd you kill 'em?"

"I already answered that question," she grunted through clenched teeth.

"Yeah, bad intentions," he walked close by her side so that only she could hear him. "Why didn't 'ya pick another pilot?"

"They had what we needed," Leia's voice was cold and flat, and Han stopped in his tracks. The princess nodded to her left, "There it is."

Han glanced up at the sleek ship that must have been impressive in its day. The hull was dull with stained with scorch marks and years of wear, and Han noticed some artillery artfully hidden by design. Being a yacht, the Nubian ship wouldn't have any weaponry in its architecture. Elrach or whoever helped him did a magnificent job at making the ship lethal but unthreatening, a very useful attribute to a smuggling ship. If the inside matched the outside, this ship just may soothe his loss of his own beloved ship. _But the ship was stolen…_

Princess Leia, her face still hidden by the hood of her cloak, resumed her impersonation of a Nongpan and approached the ship. Han followed behind her, his head spinning so fast that he barely registered their surroundings. Before he knew it, the ramp of the Nubian yacht lowered and he blindly followed Leia into the belly of the ship.

"What do you know about the make of this ship?" she asked as they entered the tuborlift that floated to the top level.

Han looked around and unexpectedly recognized an antique cockpit almost the size of the _Millennium Falcon's_ main hold, "Obviously not as much as you."

"A ship's a ship," Leia arched a brow and pursed her lips. "If you're as good a pilot as you say you are---"

"Yeah, yeah," Han pulled a face and handed her the documents Elrach gave them. "Why don't ya' program the coordinates and request permission to take off."

Leia shimmied out of her cloak, "You mean to tell me we're not going to blast our way off this planet?"

"Cute," Han smirked. "I'm gonna check out the rest of the ship." He turned on his heel and headed to the turbolift as his smile widened. Whatever Leia was going through, her sharp tongue and feisty attitude were a much needed comfort to him.

Leia watched her beloved smuggler disappear but not before he threw her a wink. She inhaled and strolled over to the odd cockpit. She performed the tasks that Han ordered and then sunk into the padded seat that was much more comfortable than the pilot seat in the _Falcon_. Leia closed her eyes in an attempt to push the image of Han's most precious possession crumpled in a heap of scrap parts. But closing her eyes only served to replace the ship with Chewbacca's smiling face. She slowly inhaled and exhaled as she concentrated on the Wookie's image. Lando and Tendra knew where Han's best friend might be. Han knew where Chewie might be. And Han wasn't going to tell her.

But maybe she could figure out the location by thinking about Chewie. Or maybe peek into Han's thoughts like she did to Elrach in the bar. Leia chewed on her lower lip. It wasn't like she intended to read Elrach's mind. His thoughts screamed over the thoughts of the other patrons of the bar. She didn't intend on hearing anyone's thoughts as she scrutinized the beings in the darkened booths. Leia just expected a feeling or something in that fashion that would allow her to find a mostly decent pilot. _Like when Obi Wan and Luke found Han and Chewie…_

So why did she choose a questionable smuggler with dark thoughts?

"_Starlight Breeze_, you're clear for take-off."

Leia jumped with a start at the controller's announcement, "Thank you." She hit the commlink, "Han, we're cleared."

"I'll be right there."

"I can take her up," Leia leaned over the comm.

"Good idea. There are a lot of nooks and crannies down here that I want to check out." _Make sure we don't have any surprise crew members._

Leia removed her finger from the commlink button and began flipping and pressing the controls. Like the outside of the ship, the once-white interior was gray with dirt and patched up with mismatched parts and hardware. The ship gently lifted from the ground and delicately exited the hangar. Leia smiled as the ship seemed to dance under her fingers. The ride was as smooth as their get-away, which should have been more complicated. But Leia didn't want to dwell on that. She arced and curved the ship as she became more acquainted with its inner beauty. Perhaps this is how Han felt the first time he flew the _Falcon._

"So now you're a pilot?" Han grinned as he entered the cockpit.

"I guess I have many talents I wasn't aware of," Leia meant her words to be a joke, but her mood darkened. Some of those newly discovered talents were ones she never would have desired.

_Luke's dream, not mine._ But could she wish such a fate on her newly found but late brother?

"Why don't you take it into hyperspace?" Leia forced a smile for Han, and he sat down in her evacuated seat. She sat herself down at the navigator's seat. The ship only needed one pilot, and she needed Han to be that right now to give her a sense of stability.

Leia watched Han as he commanded the ship. He, too, was happy to be behind the controls of a ship, even if it wasn't the _Falcon._ Once they made the jump, she unfastened her restraint and started out of the cockpit.

"Hey, Sweetheart?" Han looked over his shoulder. "Where you goin'?"

"To find a place to rest." Each of her hands held her elbows and she kept her back to Han.

"There's a bunk to the left after ya' get off the lift," Han turned his eyes to the streaking stars.

"What else did you find down there?" Leia licked her lips.

"Turns out that Elrach and his partner were smuggling spice."

She could hear the optimism in his voice and closed her eyes, "I'm not surprised."

Han's brow furrowed and he swiveled around to look at her, "It bother you havin' somethin' that illegal onboard?"

She didn't face him, "Not at all." Leia cleared her voice, "It could be useful."

"Y..e..a..h." That was the last thing he expected the princess to say. Her words, though, slipped from his mind as he thought of ways the spice could benefit him. At least he wouldn't have to endure a lecture on morality and the dangers of spice to society.

"I told you Elrach had everything we needed," Leia whispered too low for Han to hear.

The princess lifted her head, intending to escape into the turbolift. But something shimmered in the corner of her right eye and disappeared as she tried to capture it in her vision. Leia stood as still as possible as a cool hand invisible to her eyes caressed her cheek. A breezed blew within her and she expelled a crystallized breath within the climate-controlled ship interior.

_Luke?_


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10:

Former Chancellor Palpatine gazed through the tinted window. The interior lights cast his reflection against the black of the night outside. Normally, Palpatine avoided any surface that would force him to face his own ugly mien, the ghastly reminder of Jedi Master Mace Windu who used Palpatine's own Force lightning against him. Skywalker took care of that righteous Jedi and, at the same time, took his first step toward the Dark Side. A triumphant day marked by Palpatine's superficial wounds that weren't so superficial. He sighed as he scrutinized his reflection. Palpatine had heard whispers in his dreams of voices blaming his evil for his deformities, just as Darth Vader's evil disfigured him. But upon waking he knew who was truly responsible for the crimes committed against him and Vader. And the Jedi paid dearly.

So although the former Chancellor Palpatine, now the Emperor of the Galactic Empire, consciously avoided catching a glimpse of his reflection, tonight was not one of those times. The Emperor stared into his red-rimmed yellow eyes, the eyes of a Sith, and touched the sagging skin that once belonged to an attractive man. His reflection, as sheer and fleeting as a ghost, mimicked his every move, and the Emperor found himself fascinated by this pseudo-apparition. The most powerful Sith Lord known to the galaxy was quite menacing in appearance. Still…he reached out one gnarled hand and touched the cool glass.

The Emperor may have been the most powerful Sith Lord known to the galaxy, but he still did not possess every power or every secret of the Sith. Maybe he would have learned more if he could have resisted his desire for power a little longer and refrained from destroying his Master. The Emperor turned away from his reflection and shook his head. His Master lured him in with the promise of great powers just as he himself had done to Anakin Skywalker. And it was more than possible that his Master lied to him as he had lied to Anakin. Palpatine chuckled, his cackling voice bouncing off the smooth empty walls. It was the way of the Sith. A Master takes an apprentice, trains him or her, and that apprentice is destined to kill his Master and take his place. A vicious circle, always endless.

And now his apprentice was planning to kill him. The Emperor sighed. He couldn't say he did not foresee this coming. Anakin Skywalker was a powerful Jedi, and though Palpatine took him as his apprentice, gave him life when his best friend and Master, Obi Wan, left him to burn up and die, Anakin Skywalker, Darth Vader, was a powerful Sith. It should be no surprise that Vader's coming coupe would happen sooner than an average apprentice like Count Dooku or the non-human, Darth Maul, who served as a mere pawn. And the Emperor had no worries that either Dooku or Darth Maul could have ever overthrown him. But Vader, well, Vader's anger always made him more dangerous, and the fallen Jedi's anger now boiled over for reasons the Emperor could not decipher. He knew Vader did not agree with all of his…politics, but there was something else that was fueling Vader's ire. The Emperor's apprentice was a grave threat that was not to be taken lightly.

The Emperor touched his fingertips together as his mouth twisted to the right. He had no intention of relinquishing his power or letting his apprentice destroy him. He was Darth Sidious and had exceptional talents, talents that no other Sith had. The Dark Side of the Force bowed to his every command. If any Sith was to break the vicious cycle of apprentices killing Masters, it was he. And break it he would.

Sidious closed his eyes and slowed his breath. He tarried patiently because that's the only way he could feel it, the lightest tickle in the Force that belonged to the strongest Force presence he ever felt since young Anakin Skywalker. For a man used to getting what he wanted the moment he demanded it, waiting wasn't one of his stronger personality traits. And normally the most powerful Sith in the galaxy would never bide his time for anything or anyone, but this was a rare treasure that was worth all his time in the galaxy.

_There…_ The Emperor shivered and the folds of skin on his face pulled back to expose his decayed teeth. There it was, ever so slight but electrifying. This time the sensation struck with such force that it left every nerve in his decrepit body tingling in its wake. Palpatine dropped his head back against the cushioned seat as his eyeballs rolled beneath his eyelids. He sighed and his body relaxed while his respiration worked to catch up to his elation.

And now the Emperor understood Darth Vader's intense obsession with Princess Leia Organa. Her Force presence was still spotty and unpredictable, but each time he managed to detect her aura, it was clearer and stronger than the last. Palpatine opened his eyes but focused only on his inner thoughts. It was strange that he did not detect her latent Force talents years ago when she was but a child at her father's knee. The Emperor frowned. When he paid the irksome Senator Organa an unannounced visit, Organa often shooed her away with a nanny, swift and stern, leaving the little princess with large liquid eyes and a brow furrowed with hurt and confusion. But Organa could not have known that his daughter was a Force-sensitive or that former Chancellor Palpatine was a Sith Lord. He absent-mindedly ran his tongue back and forth over the inside of his lip. As the supreme leader of the Galactic Empire, he had crossed paths with the idealistic Senator Leia Organa many times. All that time she was right under his nose for the taking…There was no way he should have missed it.

Palpatine pursed his lips. And why was it Vader and not he who first discovered her Force potential? Yes, as Vader said, he was the one that interrogated her twice. It made sense that Vader would be more familiar with the child's inner workings. But even Vader missed it the first time or he wouldn't have allowed Tarkin to schedule her termination. The Emperor pulled his hairless eyebrows together as he tried to find her in the Force again, this time, touch her mind. If she was as powerful as Vader seemed to think, he should have no problem sensing her in the Force.

But Palpatine couldn't. Not when she was a child, and not now. He ground his teeth together. Someone—no, some Jedi had gotten to Princess Leia before Darth Vader. But something wasn't right. The princess was born after the Jedi were purged. It was in the records…Which could have been altered. The Sith Emperor chuckled to himself. History was easily altered. He had done quite a bit of that over the last twenty years. Nevertheless, a Jedi, most likely a Master, thought the child was powerful enough to keep her hidden in the Force, and ultimately protected from him. What did they think she could do if there were no one but Sith left with knowledge of the Force?

_The Chosen One, bring balance to the Force he did not._

Emperor Palpatine pushed his crooked body out of his throne and hobbled toward his private chamber. A thread of clenched nerves constricted his chest. He had no doubt that Darth Vader, his once blindly loyal apprentice, was powerful enough to be a worthy foe or fatal enemy. Vader had become even more arrogant about his strengths than when he was a young Jedi angered that the foolish Jedi Masters did not promote him to their level. So why did Vader work so hard at keeping the princess away from him? What did Vader know about her that he didn't? The Emperor removed his cloak and dropped it to the floor. What was he missing?

Whatever he was, there was no question now that he had to find the princess before Darth Vader did. And Emperor Palpatine knew exactly how to do that.

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Leia vigorously splashed water on her face and rubbed her hands over her skin. Her breath was ragged and labored, and she choked on the water that made it into her mouth.

_I did it for him…_

Her stomach rolled again and she grabbed the sink to steady herself. How quick, how…fast. Just a sizzle and a hiss, that's all it took. _It was necessary. No different than killing a stormtrooper. Survival…that's what it was all about. Doing what you need to survive._

But this wasn't a life-or-death situation. Han's life wasn't in danger, not at that moment. _I did it for him…_ Chewie's life…Chewie could be dead already, and killing Elrach to obtain what Han needed to save Chewie could have been for nothing. But Chewie could still be alive, and Han needed a ship and a way to buy Chewbacca's freedom from the slavers. The spice would be more than enough. She _felt_ Han's elation when he discovered the quarry.

And Elrach would have killed Han and defiled her if she let Elrach live. If she allowed Han to make a deal with the smuggler…. Leia swallowed hard. She could have picked someone else. She could have returned to the Alliance and let Han and Lando handle the rescue of Chewie. She could have let Han leave her and let Elrach live. And if this was what she should have done, it would mean that she killed Elrach for no good reason.

"No good reason," Leia muttered in disgust. _What did I do?_

_I did it for him…_

The princess abruptly stopped and closed her eyes to prevent herself from falling over. Her world spun like a child's reioli toy that only stopped spinning when it lost every ounce of its energy. Her fingers tightly curled around the sink as she cautiously raised her head. Leia slowed her breath and fought to reclaim the poised and regal appearance that she was well known for.

_But that was never me…_

Leia opened her eyes and forced herself to face her reflection in the looking glass hanging over the sink. The intricate make-up Tendra applied to the princess' face was now washed away, leaving her skin looking ghostly pale. She touched a finger to her bottom lip and pressed hard before pulling it away and waiting for the blood to return to that spot. She leaned forward and examined her lips in the mirror. The spot she touched remained the same pallid pink as the rest of her lips. Leia stepped back and glared into her eyes. Large and brown but not the eyes she knew to be hers. And her cheeks, normally colored with a light blush, were devoid of any warmth.

The princess grimaced and reached for the dirty towel. She used a heavy hand to wipe the remaining drops of water from her face. Again she gazed into the looking glass. A touch of color returned to her cheeks, but she remained paler than usual and her reflection still seemed foreign to her. Perhaps it was the remnants of her disguise. Leia stooped over the basin of the sink, expecting to find traces of the make-up that changed her appearance but could only find a whisper of the glitter she washed away.

_But that was never me…_

She frowned and replaced the towel on the rack. Leia reach to her right to deactivate the light when a chill straightened her spine.

"Luke." His name floated upon her crystallized breath.

Leia stood as still as possible questioning her sanity while wanting nothing more than Luke to appear to her. It was possible. He told her that Ben spoke to him in his X-Wing above the Death Star. If Ben could do that after his death, then Luke should be able to do it, too. It _had_ to be possible.

_Let go…_

"Let go," she muttered to herself. _Let go. Let go of what? Hold onto what?_

"Anger, your destruction it will bring."

The princess' head whipped toward the door, and she caught a small shadow disappear around the corner. Was there a third crew member on Elrach's ship that she missed? _Han!_ Leia hooked her hand around the door jamb and rushed out the door, her eyes furiously searching out something she wasn't sure existed. There! She stopped in her tracks and her brow furrowed as a short green being hobbled down another corridor.

"Revenge, the Dark Side it will lead."

Leia's combat boots pounded against the grated floor as she hunted down the strange being. But every time she thought she was close to catching a good gander of the stranger, it managed to hobble down another corridor.

"Your feelings you need to trust. Do what's right you must or like your father you will become."

Leia froze.

"Hey, Sweetheart," Han smiled at her.

The princess whipped around her head to find herself deep in the cargo hold where Han was leaning against the bulkhead.

He straightened and walked over to her, "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Have you?"

"What?" his face screwed into a question mark. He grabbed her shoulders and placed a kiss on her forehead, "You okay?"

Leia nodded but her eyes still hunted for the "ghost" she was chasing.

"You gonna tell me why you're outa breath?" he lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him.

"I'm not—"

"Yeah ya' are, and I know it's not cos of my good looks cos you were outa breath before you got in here," Han smirked though it failed to hide his concern.

"I-I thought I saw a kritten," she returned an equally fraudulent smile.

Han stared into her large brown eyes a little longer before replying. "Uh-huh."

"Did you happen to see one run into here?"

"No krittens in here," he answered and then turned his head to the crates. "Lots o' spice though."

Leia's eyes followed his. Yes, a suspiciously large amount of spice filled a fourth of the cargo hold. Han's apprehension radiated from his pores and Leia cringed. Maybe what he needed wasn't what he needed.

_I did it for him. I can't be sorry for that._

What _did_ she do? Leia's stomach turned. She pulled away from him, "I'm going to…"

Han caught her hand, "You're scarin' me, Leia."

Leia's eyes widened and retracted, "Why?" Although she asked, she didn't want to know the answer. _Please don't tell me._

"You're not actin' like yourself."

Leia ripped her hand out of Han's grasp, "And what should I be doing to 'act like' myself?"

"Hey," Han raised his voice. "I'm not lookin' for a fight, Sweetheart. I'm just concerned about you."

Leia rolled her eyes, "And what's there to be concerned about?"

Han crossed his arms over his chest and raised his brow, "Obviously nothing."

The princess raised her chin, "Obviously."

"Tired of being my Nongpan?" he tilted his head and crossed one foot over the other.

Leia's lips pursed and quirked to the left as her brow arched, "Now why would anyone ever tire of being your Nongpan?"

"That's a good point," Han sported a smug grin. He took a step toward her, "Now, you gonna tell me the truth?"

"About what?" she folded her arms across her chest and focused her eyes on the spice crates.

"Leia."

Han's firm tone caught Leia's attention. She snapped her eyes up and straightened her back as she did when she was five years old and out of her father's favor.

She shrugged her initial response off, and a fire burned in his eyes. "If I knew I would tell you!"

Han's mouth opened and his eyes widened. He rested his hands on his hips and stepped toward her. "Well, I'm glad to hear that," he nodded.

Leia blinked her eyes and mimicked his nod, "I'm glad you think so."

His mouth then quirked to the right before settling into a lop-sided grin, "Me too." He reached out and touched her forehead, "Still feelin' sick in your stomach?"

To his surprise, she didn't recoil. Instead, she shook her head. Han then caressed her cheek, and Leia's eyes closed as she absorbed his attention. He frowned. He wanted nothing more than to take away her pain but had no idea of how to do that. His jaw clenched. If only he could kill Vader for her, take away all the nightmares he inspired within her. And everything Vader had done to damage her.

Han pulled Leia into an embrace and gently rocked her as his eyes traveled to the crates of spice. He still couldn't believe that Princess Leia Organa killed a man in cold blood for a ship full of spice. How could she be so certain that Elrach would have killed him? He kissed the crown of her head and inhaled the sweet scent of her hair. Han swallowed down the fear threatening to devour him. How could he keep her safe if he didn't know the rules of the game?

But when had Han Solo ever been one to follow the rules? He'd keep Leia safe from Vader even if he had to kidnap her and hide her away in the outer rim. If Chewie were here…Han cringed at the spice. What seemed a gift of luck now troubled him more than it was worth. Elrach was smuggling that spice for someone, and that someone was going to be very angry when he didn't get his shipment. If Jabba accepted the spice as a payment for Chewie's freedom and a substitute for Han's large debt, that amount of spice would bring attention Han wasn't sure he wanted. But did he have any better options? Han owed his life to Chewie. Leia knew that. And Han would do anything he had to in order to save his best friend's life. Of course, Leia knew that. _I'm sorry, Leia…_

A high-pitched alarm broke their embrace. Han held her face and kissed her lips , "It's probably Lando."

Leia nodded, and Han's heart shrank within his chest as her large brown eyes looked up at him, pleading for something he couldn't decipher.

"When you feel like talkin' about what happened in the bar, I'm 'ere," he gazed into her eyes for a moment longer before turning to tend to the incoming comm.

Leia hugged herself as she watched him go. "I know," she whispered.


	11. Chapter 11

As Tim Gunn says, "Make it work."—I hope I did. Enjoy.

CHAPTER 11:

Princess Leia Organa stood at the top of the landing ramp thankful that no one could see her. She slowly inhaled the familiar petrol that usually polluted any hangar, a scent she that once comforted her but now left her nauseous. To her surprise, she missed the crisp biting atmosphere of Hoth where her world was as "perfect" as it would ever get. Until it all fell apart. _Luke. What have I done? What am I doing?_

She twirled a lock of hair around her finger, a nervous habit from her younger years. Perhaps she should have pinned her hair into a coronet of braids or a tight bun at the nap of her neck. That would have left her with no temptation to fiddle with her hair. She scrutinized the lock that curled around her finger. Was her hair even long enough for her usual elaborate hairstyles? Leia forced her hand to her side and bit her bottom lip. They were expecting that Princess Leia, all neat and ordered and composed to a fault. Everything that she wasn't, maybe never was, but did she ever have a choice to be anyone else but Princess Leia Organa? If she did, what would that be?

Definitely not this.

Leia felt Han's stealth approach but did not turn or acknowledge his presence. He slipped his hand under her arm and took her hand in his. He gave it a gentle squeezed. Leia straightened her back and lifted her chin. She tightened her grip on his hand as she took her first step down the ramp, thankful to have Han by her side.

Mon Mothma's icy blue eyes remained glued to the antiquated ship that now sat in the rebel's hangar. She discreetly inhaled a deep long breath and held her neck rigid. How long had it been since she had seen a Nubian ship, _this_ model of a Nubian ship? She knew in her mind that it wasn't the ship that belonged to her esteemed colleague and fellow Senator of the New Republic, but Mon Montha's heart wanted it to be. She had so much to unfinished business to settle with Padme Nabriee. _What was Nabriee thinking? How could she betray them?_

As Princess Leia Organa descended down the ramp, hand-in-hand with Captain Solo, Mon Mothma clenched her teeth. The girl could have been Nabriee. How come she hadn't seen it before?

Because no one wanted to see it. No one wanted to think such a thing was possible.

The princess's large brown eyes flicked over Mon Mothma's cool blue ones, then onto General Crix Madine, Admiral Ackbar, and General Dodonna before they settled on the man standing next to the esteemed rebel leader, General Carlist Reeikan. Reeikan tipped his weight forward on the balls of his feet but managed to restrain himself from running to the wayward girl. Mon Montha's lip twitched. General Reeikan served the Organa family and was Bail Organa's closest friend. Reeikan, who watched over the girl most of her young life, was more of a father to the princess than Bail. The general claimed he knew nothing about Princess Leia's heritage, but Mon Mothma had to wonder how true his words were. How could he not know?

Mon Mothma's left hand curled into a tight ball hidden under the billowing sleeve of her long robes. She herself had trained the young politico in the delicacies of diplomacy and the inner workings of the Senate. Yet, she herself didn't know.

Mon Montha lifted her chin as the princess' crude combat boots touched the ground of the hangar. "Your Highness," she noted how Leia flinched at the title. "We are more than relieved to find that you are well."

"Thank you," Leia responded and tightened her hold on Han's hand.

Mon Mothma's eyes fell to their clasped hands and shuddered. _Like mother, like daughter…_

"You too, Captain Solo," the rebel leader mumbled as an afterthought.

"Thanks a lot," Han smirked, "I'm touched by your sentiment."

No one seemed to hear Han's wise-crack and his words floated along with the various pounding and hissing in the hangar that mingled into nothing more than white noise.

Leia's eyes flitted over to General Reeikan before settling back on Mon Mothma. As if on cue, Reeikan stepped forward and the girl flew into his arms like a five year old.

Reeikan held her so tight that he forgot to breathe. He recaptured his breath as he slightly loosened his hold. "All my prayers have been answered," he whispered into her ear.

Leia pressed her face against his chest and inhaled until she couldn't fit another molecule of his soapy scent in her lungs. She reluctantly pulled herself away from his safe embrace. _If he knew…would his prayers be the same?_

Madine cleared his throat, "General Rieekan's sentiments are echoed among all of us."

Leia took a step back and aligned herself with Han once again. "Thank you, General." She silently acknowledged Admiral Ackbar and General Dodonna who flanked Mon Mothma with a stifled nod.

"Of course," Madine cleared his throat yet again. "We do have some sensitive matters to take care of before we can conduct more pleasant business."

"Of course," Leia bit the inside of her cheek and lifted her chin.

"Don't ya' think she deserves—"

Mon Mothma's head twitched toward Han's voice, "This applies to you as well, Captain Solo."

Han rolled his eyes before settling into a pinched expression, and he thrust his finger in Mon Mothma's directions, "After what we went through—"

"That's exactly why this is important," General Dodonna cut in.

Han opened his mouth, but a small hand upon his arm stifled his retort. "He's right, Han," Leia's voice was flat and emotionless. "The sooner we're debriefed, the better. The Alliance's fate could rest upon the information we can provide them."

Han furrowed his brow and looked down at her. What _exactly_ did she plan on sharing? Leia remained poised and her large dark eyes did not waver nor reveal her intentions. He relented, shaking his head. This wasn't going to be good for her. Not good at all. How could he protect her if she sabotages herself? Solo glanced back at the Nubian ship and rolled his lips between his teeth. He returned her to the Alliance thinking she was safer here than coming to him to rescue Chewie. What was he thinking?

"The droids?" General Madine asked, and the Mon Calamari General sucked in a breath.

"General, perhaps this isn't the time," Admiral Ackbar interrupted.

"Of course it is," Mon Mothma shot an icy glare in Ackbar's direction. "They were with you, am I correct?"

Leia shook her head, "They didn't make it."

"Does Darth Vader have them?" her voice slightly trembled. The princess' brow creased as she waited for Mon Mothma to continue. "Those droids hold highly classified… information. You can see our concern."

"No," Leia gazed into her superior's blue eyes, almost the same hue as Luke's but not at all warm or familiar, "I destroyed the droids before Vader had a chance to touch them."

"Good thinking," she smiled without moving her mouth. "I know it must have been difficult considering that they belonged to Commander Skywalker. You have my condolences."

"Thank you," the princess whispered.

"Of course we know you always put the Alliance first. You proved that the last time Darth Vader—"

Han took Leia's hand in his, "This conversation is over."

"But the debriefing," Madine bristled.

Reeikan opened his arms and attempted to shuffle Leia and Han toward the hangar door, "Perhaps we should give them some time to settle in before we move on to official business." He took hold of Leia's arm, and she pulled Han along with her. Reeikan weakly smiled down at her, "We prepared your quarters once we heard you were on your way here."

Leia's eyes smiled at her long-time caregiver though her face remained expressionless, "Thank you, General."

"Say we conduct the debriefing at twenty-hundred hours?" Mon Mothma asked.

"Sounds good," Han answered as he grinned at the High Command. "See ya' then." He gave them a faux salute and sauntered away before anyone could comment upon his departure. He was certain no one prepared any quarters for him, and the grin remained pasted on his face long after he left their suffocating presence.

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Princess Leia glared at the rebel uniform she laid out on her bed. The khaki shirt screamed out her rank, a rank that meant little. She touched the coarse material before picking up the sky blue pants with a yellow stripe running down its legs. It wasn't a Corellian Blood Stripe, but a stripe nonetheless, that only served to remind her of Han and all he sacrificed for her. Leia closed her eyes and pressed the heels of her palm against them.

"Hey, Your Worship," Han glided in behind her, wrapped his arms around her slender waist, and kissed the sweet skin under her ear. Resting his chin on her shoulder he asked, "We've been away that long?"

"Hhmm?"

"The uniform." The vibrations of his voice rumbled through her body as he spoke. "It's diff'rent."

"Different climate," she dropped her hands from her eyes and her eyes to the insignia on the vest. She fingered the shiny rectangles. "Different place," she whispered more to herself.

Han kissed the crown of her head, letting his nose linger a moment before he stepped away. "Maybe we shouldn't have come back."

The princess pursed her lips. "No," she lied. "They'll help us rescue Chewie."

"Yeah, I bet," Han muttered, and Leia cringed. His eyes groped their posh environment. "At least they gave you the…_royal_ suite."

"It's nice enough," Leia glared at the large sitting room that opened into an atrium where her private chamber was tucked away.

"Nice enough?" Han echoed incredulously. "Way better than Hoth."

"What would you expect on Hoth?" Leia mused. "The scenery and climate are much too drab for an atrium."

"Come on," he tucked his hands into his back pockets. "You can't complain about these quarters at all."

"Yes I can," she stated with a tight smile.

"Well, of course _you_ can," Han sported a lop-sided grin. "You have an incredible knack for complainin', Sweetheart."

Leia wrinkled up her nose and tilted her head to the left, "I do, don't I?"

"That's why I love ya'."

"I know," she winked at him before turning back to the uniform. "Enjoy it now, fllyboy. My next quarters might not be so luxurious."

"The rebels' buggin' out already?"

"No," Leia sucked on her lip before continuing. "Whether or not I stay here depends on how the _debriefing_ goes."

"Huh?" Han frowned. "I won't let 'em throw you in the slammer."

"Han," Leia turned to him and rolled her large dark eyes. "This _is_ the prison."

"I don't get it."

She gazed toward the atrium and held her hands out, "If things go poorly we get to enjoy the good life." Han's quizzical expression incited a sigh. "I'd be a high profile prisoner. If I pose a danger to the Alliance, they can't just execute me since everyone witnessed our return and those who didn't are most likely talking about it. When the High Command figures things out, I'll know my fate."

"Come on, Leia," Han sighed. "This is the Alliance. They wouldn't—"

The comm screeched, causing the pair to forget any words they had just spoken. Leia's mouth formed a small 'o' and her large dark eyes flew to Han's face. He gave her a small defeated smile.

The princess cleared her throat as she pressed her index finger on the small button and activated the comm, "Yes?"

A static click and then a faceless voice, "The High Command is ready for you."

Leia let go of the button, "Thank you."

"Well," Han put his hands on his hips. "Guess it's time." His eyes roved over her shoulder length wavy hair, then to the periwinkle long sleeve shift that exposed her shoulders and floated a few centimeters above her knees, and finally to the clunky combat boots that seemed too big for her delicate feet but fit her like a weathered glove. "You gonna change?"

Leia glanced over her shoulder at the rebel uniform upon her bed. "No." She looked back to Han, "I'm ready."

Solo shrugged and held out a proffered arm, and Leia wrapped her fingers around it, "Is this how it feels to face a firing squad?"

Leia's lips twitched before settling into a smirk, "A firing squad would be a welcome reprieve to what we face."

"This sounds like it's gonna be alotta fun," Han mimicked her smirk.

"Indeed," Leia arched her eyebrow before all bravado faded from her mien. "Best not keep them waiting."

Han took her head in his free hand, pulled her to him, and gently kissed her lips. Without another word, he led her to the unknown that lain ahead of them.

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Mon Mothma held a tumbler in her right hand partially filled with a rich burgundy liquid and stared out the oval window. The sky outside rolled with an all-consuming turmoil that pressed against the crisp earth and hovered there like a scolian raptor waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Mon Mothma tipped the tumbler to her lips and allowed the rich liquid to burn her parched lips. Why didn't it just make its inedible move?

She smoothed her pale blue robes as if to wipe away the dirt from her spotless hand. She had never seen the Princess of Alderaan so vulnerable with her large brown eyes liquid in pain. The girl looked like she would shatter at any moment, but Mon Mothma and the rest of the High Command didn't relent with their intrusive questions and stinging insinuations. She could have stopped such interrogation techniques, but she didn't.

She couldn't, for all the fragileness she saw in Princess Leia Organa, Mon Mothma detected the fire and fierceness that boiled inside the girl, lying dangerously close to her shaky, unshed tears. There was something the young woman was hiding, and Mon Mothma felt the sting of knowing that she herself was one of those responsible for teaching the princess how to withstand the most painful torture without succumbing to her interrogator. And if the princess could endure all that Darth Vader dished out to her, withholding information from the High Command would be as easy as Xiouc pie.

So Mon Mothma and the rest of the High Command, sans General Reeikan who walked out not too long after the interrogation of the princess began, had no choice but to milk all useful information out of Princess Leia. Mon Mothma pressed the cool glass against her forehead and closed her eyes. _It was necessary…_ Necessary but not very fruitful. Not that such a revelation was any surprise. The princess had gone through far worse under the hands of Darth Vader, and Mon Mothma was certain that this time around was much worse than the time the child was held prisoner on the Death Star.

Could the High Command sink to such tactics against their own?

Mon Mothma swallowed down the bile in her throat but the rank taste would not be dissolved so easily. She emptied the contents of the tumbler with one swift gulp and grimaced as the cool liquid burned her throat. The benzodiazepines were necessary to relax the stressed child. It was for her own good and no ill-intention lied behind it. Mon Mothma herself could see Princess Leia's rapid heartbeat and the drops of perspiration on her forehead. The High Command was not a hostile threat to her—rather shouldn't be, but certainly after spending countless months being tortured by Darth Vader, Mon Mothma could see how the princess would feel as if the High Command intended to hurt her.

The Leader of the Rebel Alliance ran her tongue along the smooth hills and valleys of her teeth. It was indeed necessary. And the sodium thiopental, too, was a necessary component. The truth serum would help the girl remember things more easily, perhaps help her recall the most minute detail that could make the difference between a victory and a defeat, and the girl did not want to see the Rebellion destroyed. The princess even agreed to it, calming the irate smuggler for the briefest of moments with a single glance, though Mon Mothma couldn't help but notice a flicker of anger in that look. Yes, verbally Princess Leia had agreed. But her heart and spirit would not break, and that was something each member of the High Command should have known. No, it was something every single member of the High Command _did_ know, but as with the highest ranked leader of the rebellion, they let their personal feelings get the best of them.

_Maybe we did intend to hurt her…_

To her relief it hadn't reached that point where she and the High Command had to soil their hands with the same dirt as the Emperor. They only had General Dodonna's foolishness to thank. If he hadn't insisted on debriefing Captain Solo in an adjoining room, who knows how far they would have gone? Mon Mothma put the tumbler down onto the hovering tray beside her plush chair and pushed herself out of its comfort.

General Dodonna incessantly insisted that Captain Solo be interrogated with the same techniques as the princess in an adjoining room, with the thought that if the princess _did_ react…negatively that the man would be more forthcoming with information. The aging General foolishly assumed that the space worn smuggler would cave easily if he thought the princess was in distress. Solo always seemed overly protective of the young princess but Dodonna and Madine underestimated how deep those emotions ran. Mon Mothma shook her head as she walked to the window. She didn't fault them. She underestimated the Sabaac-faced man as well.

The memory of the moment replayed itself as a sharp headache at the back of her head and she closed her eyes against it. _Did we do the right thing?_

Mon Mothma had conducted the debriefing in a small windowless room with only one overhead light to illuminate the shadows, knowing full well how Princess Leia feared such an environment. General Madine fired rapid questions at the girl, repeating each question from time to time in hope that the former senator would reveal more information than she previously had. But Mon Mothma knew the princess would be honest and as detailed in her answers as she could be and neither of the High Command members would think she would intentionally hide anything. _So why the truth serum?_

It was necessary. It had to be done that way. Unfortunately, by the time the sodium thiopental began to work, the smuggler interrupted the session.

Captain Solo burst through the door with such force that Mon Mothma's heart skipped a beat. She touched her hand to her throat as she prepared a harsh reprimand, but seeing the bug-eyed General Dodonna trailing behind the irate man stifled any rational command she had left.

"Captain Solo!" General Madine stepped into Solo's path. "This is an outrage!"

"Glad ya' think so too!" He shoved his way around the general and stomped over to where the princess was seated. He scanned the restraints that cut into her wrists and growled at the medic beside her. Solo placed a hand on the girl's forehead. "You okay?"

Obviously, someone forgot to restrain the smuggler. _He probably rebelled before anyone had the chance._

Mon Mothma's eyes widened and her lungs filled with air, but the gentle tone of the space weary smuggler and his careful manner rendered her speechless. The princess nodded up at him, and even though her large eyes were blurry with drugs, Mon Mothma could see how much the young girl trusted.._loved?..._the uncouth man. Time seemed to move like fkloko gel in an elbow pipe. She hadn't even realized that Admiral Ackbar had joined them and was speaking to her.

"Whaddya figure she'd hide from you?" Solo unwittingly saved Mon Mothma from an awkward moment.

"That's not what I'm implying," the Mon Calamari officer sucked in a harsh breath.

"So that's why yer usin' sodium thiopental to _debrief_ her?" the smuggler stabbed a finger at the clear tube inserted in the princess' arm.

"Han," Princess Leia laid her free hand on the man's arm.

The veins in Captain Solo's neck tensed and throbbed and his eyes flicked between the princess and General Madine.

"Perhaps, Captain Solo," Mon Mothma's tense tone caught the attention of the rest of the room and all eyes fell on the smuggler, "you should step outside and compose yourself."

His eyebrows rose and his hands went to his hips. "_Compose myself?" _Solo spat. "Is this the way you treat your own people? She's not even a grunt. She's a member of the High Command!"

"Han," Princess Leia whispered.

This time he did not acknowledge her delicate admonishment. "Tell me. Whaddya think she didn't tell you already?"

The two generals and admiral looked to Mon Mothma. She held her chin tight and high and kept her ice blue eyes on the unruly captain, hoping that she put her colleagues at ease.

And once again, Captain Solo rescued her from another would-be awkward moment. He stormed up to the two generals flanking her but his eyes remained on her.

"I don't know, Captain," Mon Mothma smoothed her robes but never broke eye contact with the smuggler. "You tell me."

"I thold them---," Princess Leia slurred, and Mon Mothma inwardly cringed.

Solo's eyes narrowed, "Yeah. I know, Sweetheart."

General Madine stole a step and claimed a position that kept him between Solo and Mon Mothma, "You must understand how important this is."

"Yeah. Just like her," he took a moment and glanced back at the princess, and there was a nanosecond where he seemed to project his anger upon the very person he was protecting. He forced a breath out of his mouth and ran one hand through his hair.

"We aren't hurting her," General Dodonna chimed in.

"Doesn't look like that to me."

Ackbar sucked in a breath, "The princess understands—"

"Understands?" Solo's tone rose in pitch. "She risked her life more than once---no, more than any one of you have for the Alliance. The _Alliance_ is the most important thing in her life. Why do you think she'd do anything to sabotage that?"

"We know Princess Leia would never knowingly—"

The smuggler's eyes widened and retracted, "_Knowingly."_

"Knowingly betray us," Mon Mothma continued where Madine left off. "These circumstances are different."

Admiral Ackbar's bulbous eyes rolled in their sockets and his large fin-like hands flew to his pristine white uniform. "Perhaps General Madine—"

"So," Captain Solo nodded his head and fingered his empty holster. "You think she enjoyed those last couple of months as Vader's prisoner."

"We're not at all implying that!" Mon Mothma's stern voice froze the room's occupants. She slowly inhaled a breath through her nose before continuing, "As you know, Darth Vader has taken a personal interest in the princess."

"Yeah, and I know firsthand she ain't too pleased about that. And I also know that she already told you how he tortured her and how she told him nothin' about yer selfish rebellion."

"Yes, you are right, Captain," Mon Mothma conceded. "But we need the tiny details. Can you understand that?"

Solo's face pinched, "What? You think yer gonna launch an all out attack on the hidden base Vader has on the outskirts of Coruscant? Yeah, take that over and Coruscant falls."

"It's not the information we are discussing," Dodonna corrected.

"What else is there?"

"Han…"

"No," he waved a hand in the princess direction. "I asked, _what else is there?"_

"There is the matter of her…parentage," Madine jutted out his chin and painted his lips with the slightest of smiles.

"Yeah," Solo matched the middle-aged general's expression. "Vader told her he's her father. You gonna take Vader's word for it?"

"Han…"

"We do not have to rely on the truthfulness of Darth Vader's words," Madine's cheek twitched. "We have DNA."

"DNA. Vader sent you a nice DNA sample?" Solo's hazel eyes glared at Madine. "How thoughtful of him."

"Captain Solo," Mon Mothma clasped her hands together with a stifled clap that captured everyone but the princess' attention. "As I'm sure you know, Princess Leia's biological mother is Padme Nabriee of Naboo who served on the Senate and was one of the founders of the Alliance of Free Planets. We have access to her medical files."

"And, let me guess? You have Vader's medical files as well."

"No, but we do have Jedi Anakin Skywalker's."

"How? The Jedi Temple was destroyed during the Jedi Purge."

"So you have had some history lessons, Captain," Madine arched a blonde eyebrow.

"General, that will do." Mon Mothma hissed. "Captain, we were able to recover some Jedi records thanks to the help of a Jedi Master who managed to escape."

"Obi Wan?" Solo shook his head.

"No," Dodonna cut in. "But who does not matter. The DNA tests unfortunately confirm Darth Vader's claim. And we have conducted a midicholorian count test."

"A what?"

"It's a test that calculates the Force-potential in sentient beings," Mon Mothma informed him with the calmest tone she could conjure at the moment, and she hoped that would be sufficient. "As you can guess, Her Highness has a very high count—"

"Cos Vader happens to be her father," Han finished. "So you're gonna punish her for the sins of her father."

An oppressive silence pressed down on the occupants of the tiny room. Mon Mothma cleared her throat, "Not at all. We just need to be thorough. You two have spent a large amount of time as Darth Vader's prisoners."

"You don't hafta remind me."

"As I was saying," Mon Mothma narrowed her steel eyes on Solo. "It was a considerable amount of time and you not only survived but managed to return to the Alliance."

"Sorry we lived."

"Please!" the rebel leader fought to contain her composure. "You must understand that we have to air on the cautious side."

"You think we're spies?"

"Of course not!" Ackbar interjected.

"Cos Vader, Anakin Skywalker, contributed his—"

"No!" each member of the High Command yelled.

"Darth Vader has taken a great interest in the princess," Mon Mothma continued. "We just need to be certain that he did not implant any…well, anything in Her Highness' mind. And now with her potential Force ability…"

"Ith haths to be done," Leia mumbled.

"No, Leia! It doesn't! It shouldn't!" He glared at Mon Mothma. "I've stood around long enough!"

"And that's why you should leave," Mon Mothma placed a hand on the man's arm but he effortlessly shrugged it off. "Even the princess knows this is necessary. As we said, she may not remember the small details that could make all the difference—"

"Yeah, yeah," Solo seethed, "for the survival of the Alliance. What about her survival?"

"She's been through worse," Madine shrugged.

"_She's been through worse?"_ Han yelled. "Git that outa her," he pointed to the IV attached to the princess' arm. When the medic hesitated and looked to General Madine for permission, Han shoved the medic hard, slamming the poor, relatively innocent man against the wall.

"General Solo!" Admiral Ackbar sucked in a horrified breath.

"Enough!"

Han let go of the medic, his chest rising and falling as the perspiration collected on his chest. He stalked over to Madine and positioned himself centimeters from the middle-aged general face, "Yeah, enough."

Madine swallowed but refused to give the angry smuggler the satisfaction of a greater reaction. Han stared into the general's grey eyes for several seconds as the rest of the room's occupants held their breaths. Then Han took a step back but kept his glaring eyes on Madine.

"Unhook her," his low volume screamed of his disgust.

Madine gave a stifled nod to the medic who scurried over to the princess' side. The man's fingers fumbled over the I.V. and the girl winced in pain. Han shoved Madine aside as he went to her. General Madine's fist curled and he pulled his arm back, but Ackbar had enough wits about him to pull the general clear of Solo's range. Mon Mothma didn't have to guess who would win that fight, and she preferred Madine's features just the way they were.

Solo helped Princess Leia to a seated position with more delicacies than Mon Mothma would have given him credit, "I'm sorry, Leia."

"Why?"

He leaned close to her face as she rubbed her eyes with one hand. The highest ranked member of the High Command watched the smuggler's lips move but she couldn't hear his words and was vaguely surprised since it was so quiet they would hear a needle hit the floor. Perhaps at that moment they or she were caught up in their own thoughts to hear anything at the moment. Mon Mothma shook her head and her brow furrowed. However, the moment had passed and Solo had gathered the princess in his arms and carried her toward the exit, leaving everyone colored with shame.

To add injury to insult, the princess' large brown eyes glared at Mon Mothma as she peeked over Solo's shoulder and mumbled into his shirt.

_You're wrong about one thing, you are more important than the Alliance._

You are more important. Did the princess' loyalties shift before or after her last ordeal with Darth Vader? Mon Mothma frowned. It didn't matter when. It happened, and for once Mon Mothma wasn't thinking about the Alliance. No, she wondered what it felt like to love a man more than an idea.

_Just like her mother. And look what became of that._

Perhaps Mon Mothma and the rest High Command should have taken the advice of the old Jedi Master. Her face pinched as if her disgust was tangible. If it weren't for the Jedi, they wouldn't be in this mess now. How could they not know that Chancellor Palpatine was a Sith Lord? How could they not know about the illicit marriage between one of their most unstable Jedi and an Imperial Senator? The Jedi couldn't even keep their own house affairs in order. It's no wonder that a Sith Lord managed to escape their notice.

No greater mistake had been ever made. Mon Mothma pressed her hand against the warm glass of the window and watched the sky fall.

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Darth Vader took large but hesitant steps down the ramp of the ship, but once his shielded eyes adjusted to the bright light of the two punishing suns he felt himself paralyzed by the past. He had only reached halfway the length of the ramp yet the gritty pebbles of sand already bounced off his helmet. He swore that he'd never return to this God-forsaken planet, his home planet. _Where I left my mother to die…_

And for what? The Jedi, the Emperor, his disloyal wife, they all took almost everything from them. _She's mine._ Vader's teeth sunk into his tongue, and the bitter bite of anger flavored his blood.

Although he left his mother to die here on Tatooine, he would reclaim his daughter. Now all he had to do was to wait. Darth Vader smiled to himself. Princess Leia's destiny lain with his, and Tatooine was where their destinies merged. The Force was now on his side once again.


	12. Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12:

Han Solo rested his arms on the balcony rail and scowled at the scenic landscape below. Gentle hills rolled out before him growing smaller as they neared the green sea off in the distance. The tall blue grass stalks danced with the wind, delicately swaying just as it did when it soothed the restless soul of the princess a few hours ago when she stood in the same spot he now occupied. Han inhaled slowly, closed his eyes, and opened them as he exhaled. But that did nothing to calm his rage directed toward the Universe.

Han glanced at his chronometer. He expected the princess to have returned a standard hour and a half ago, but the meeting hastily arranged by Mon Mothma must have lasted longer than Leia expected. He sighed and returned his attention to the view beyond the balcony. Perhaps it was best she hadn't returned yet. He needed some time to digest the contents of Lando's encrypted message that Wedge illegally delivered.

Wedge. Perhaps the only friend and ally he and Leia had right now. Guilt came with that message. Han knew Wedge was risking not only his rank and position as the Rogue Squadron leader, but being labeled as a traitor and imprisoned in less desirable quarters than Leia was given. Han locked his hands behind his head. Wedge was just one more person caught in Han's web of trouble. Chewie, Lando, Tendra, and now Wedge. Solo dropped his hands, and they slapped his thighs. Maybe it was a good thing that he avoided close friendships when possible. Being his friend was a hazard to one's life.

Han glanced over his should at the desk where the discarded flimsy lay crumpled. He had deciphered the message four times now and wondered if the fifth time would yield something different, something that made more sense. An Alderaanian curse, one that Leia used when she thought no one was in ear-shot, slipped through his lips as he tightened his hold on the balcony. There was no need to decode the message a fifth time. Why torture himself? He knew he made no mistakes when he deciphered it the first time.

Most of the message confirmed what he already speculated. Jabba the Hutt possessed Chewie, and Han's best friend was still alive. No surprise there. Jabba knew Chewbacca was the best way to lure Han into his den. Solo had instructed Lando and Tendra to lay low and make no attempt to rescue Chewbacca, but Lando was unpredictable and liked nothing more than to play the hero. Both Calrissian and Tendra were resourceful and cunning, traits they acquired over the years of legal and illegal business matters. The slick entenuer would love nothing more than to smooth-talk the gangster Hutt out of his wealth, and if there was ever a being that could swindle Jabba it'd be Lando. But Jabba's contempt for Han outweighed the bargaining and fast talk Lando and Tendra excelled at. And no wealth they would offer Jabba was worth as much as the pair's lives. The gangster Hutt would have two more pawns to use against Solo.

Han cursed himself and his irresponsible behavior. He walked over to the desk and picked up the wrinkled flimsy. While most of the message didn't cause Han anymore anxiety than he already had, the last part of it incited chest pains that throbbed against his ribs. He stared at the flimsy and irrationally expected the letters and symbols to scramble and change. As unbelievable Lando's words were, Han knew them to be true. And if Lando made no mistake, things just got more complicated. Time was running out.

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"You can't seriously be considering this," General Rieekan shook his head and walked away from the other Alliance leaders.

"We don't have a lot of options, Rieekan," General Dodonna pulled on his beard as he studied the flimsiplast. "We've lost too many resources and too many soldiers. We can't continue on like this."

"But what you're thinking—"

"Is something none of us want," Mon Mothma's cool blue eyes glared at Rieekan. "But Dodonna is right. Our choices are not only limited by resources and man power, but time." She turned away from Rieekan, "How much longer do you think we can keep up this game of kritten and frelcoty?"

"But," Rieekan rubbed his long, creased face. "This goes against everything we believe in. Not to mention everything the princess believes in."

"The princess believes in the Alliance," Madine folded his arms upon the table and leaned forward to accentuate his point. "She'll do anything that needs to be done."

"Are you so sure of that?" Rieekan countered.

Before any of the High Command could answer Rieekan's question, the door slid open.

"Your Highness," Mon Mothma's thin lips stretched into a faux smile. "Please take a seat." With that, the older woman nodded to the two guards who escorted the princess and they turned on their heels and left.

Leia's eyes met each member of the High Command and settled on General Rieekan's. The crinkles in his forehead deepened and his warm grey eyes carried the same weighted sadness that colored his features when he told her that the only mother she knew, Breha Organa, had succumbed to the illness that ravished her body throughout Leia's first five years of life. The princess' large dark eyes shifted to the window across the room in an attempt to hold back the tears that threatened to crumble her already weak composure.

The rest of the High Command was seated themselves around the oval table. The usual screens and charts that covered the walls and table of the meeting room were absent, an ominous sign to Leia of what was to come. She swallowed down the lump in her throat and braced herself for something worse than the debriefing.

"As you already know," Mon Mothma folded her hands and dropped her chin a touch, "the Alliance is running low on resources, and it's only a matter of time this deficit will cost us the war."

The nerves in the nape of Leia's neck tingled. She sighed, "It's obvious that you already have come up with a strategy to build our resources in my absence, though I _am_ a member of the High Command. I'm sure it's safe to assume that it is a strategy I won't approve of, or you question my loyalties."

"Of course we don't question your allegiance to the Alliance," Dodonna stated.

"Then the former must be the case," Leia's chair scratched against the floor as she stood. "I'd rather know nothing about it. I'm sure someone else would be willing to take on whatever mission that you intent to give to me."

"There is no one else," Madine frowned.

The princess remained standing as she studied Madine's stone features. "I find that hard to believe," she countered.

Mon Mothma rolled her lips between her teeth as she reached into her robes. Leia's breath caught in her throat as the Alliance leader pulled Luke's light saber from her pocket and placed it on the table. The princess' heart sped up and she focused on keeping her respiration calm and composed. But her large brown eyes widened and remained glued to the ancient weapon.

"I…I'm not a Jedi," she whispered. "Luke's the Jedi. It's his, not mine."

"No?" Dodonna countered.

Leia looked up at the old General and shook her head. "I told you. Han took possession of it when he…found Luke on Hoth and gave it to me for sentimental reasons."

"Nevertheless, Darth Vader, both your and Commander Skywalker's biological father, allowed you to escape with it," Madine glared at the princess. "He gave it to you back to you, am I correct?"

Leia nodded but remained silent. General Rieekan reached out and smoothed her hair, "Does it matter?" Rieekan humped. He then glanced around the room at his colleagues. "And from what I recall, Vader didn't let her escape. She did that on her own."

"Just like the last time," Dodonna raked two fingers through his gray beard.

"The last time?" Rieekan's brow creased.

"When Her Highness escaped the Death Star on a ship carrying a tracking beacon," Madine's lips stretched into a tight line. "She led the Death Star straight to our base on Yavin IV."

The tendons of Rieekan's neck visibly tightened. He wondered if he should have taken Admiral Ackbar's cue and let the other High Commanders finish this meeting. Like Rieekan, Ackbar disapproved of the mission, not for the sake of the princess but the danger the mission posed for the Alliance if the princess were to fail.

Rieekan stole a side-glance of the girl he watched grow up. If he walked out of this meeting the way he did during the princess' debriefing, she would be alone. Guilt gnawed at his conscience for leaving her during the debriefing. He should have stayed, but he couldn't see his little Leia suffer even if it benefited their cause, even if she herself agreed to it.

Carlist exhaled as he reigned in his guilt and anger, "If there was no tracking device on the _Millennium Falcon_, the Death Star could have been in a place too far away to launch an attack. Our resources were more limited then than they are now. The Alliance would've been defeated."

"No disrespect intended," Dodonna huffed. "But your specialties lie in escape strategies, not in military offense."

"If it wasn't for Carlist's brilliant escape strategies," Leia sucked in a breath. "We would have lost more men and resources on Yavin when the Imperials launched a counter attack. And Hoth, well, we all are in the General's debt."

"And you are right, Princess," Dodonna gave Rieekan a curt nod, "but striking and running isn't going to win this war."

"And assassination is," Leia muttered, her large dark eyes falling on light saber resting in the middle of the table. "When you mentored me, Mon Mothma, you once told me that assassination would damage the Alliance."

Madine mirthlessly smirked, "There may not be an Alliance to damage much longer."

"Your Highness," Mon Mothma pulled the young princess' attention away from the light saber. "We must take the opportunities we are handed."

"Vader allowed me to escape with Luke's light saber," her brow furrowed. "That doesn't make me the right person for this assignment."

The other members of the High Command exchanged glances and Leia's toes curled within her combat boots. She whipped her head around and searched out Rieekan's countenance, and he gave her a tight frown. Her own mouth opened to form the smallest of 'o's as an electric current seared her spine.

"Vader's offer…" she dragged her hand through her hair and shook her head while her eyes flailed around the room, "You…you can't be serious."

Mon Mothma placed her palms on the table between them, "I know this all sounds implausible."

"We are sensitive to your plight with Darth Vader," Madine cut in.

Leia shivered as her large dark eyes settled on the blonde General at Mon Mothma's side. He was always at her side. And as usual his arms were tightly crossed over his shoulder as if he believed that this position not only made him appear powerful but also more menacing.

The princess' eyes narrowed, "No you're not."

"Your Highness!" Dodonna's bearded face stretched tight. "You have suffered a lot but there's no need to release your venom upon those who have cared for you all your life."

"If you were _sensitive_ to my…_plight_, as you will," her chin rose but her body still trembled. "You would not ask me to do this."

"Princess," Mon Mothma's voice chilled the room and Leia squeezed her hands together under the table. "You are the Alliance's only hope."

_Help me, Obi Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope._ Such a simple sentence. They glide off the tongue and tickle the ear. Simple, but not at all harmless. If Luke never found the droids… _I'm sorry, Luke._

The girl's eyes dropped to the floor and she chewed her lip, "I'm sorry."

"These are desperate times," Mon Mothma sighed. "We would not ask you to do this if we thought there were other options."

"And this is an option," the princess clenched her teeth, "because Vader is so trustworthy."

"It has nothing to do with trust," Madine corrected.

Leia's large dark eyes narrowed on the general, "No. Trust isn't a part of any of this, is it?"

"Gentlemen, Your Highness, please," Mon Mothma held out her hands. "Many Bothans have lost their lives to provide us with this information, and I for one will not allow their sacrifices to be wasted. The Emperor rarely leaves Coruscant, let alone stays away for almost half a standard year. The time of our attack has come."

Leia wrapped her arms across her chest as the light saber on the table recaptured her attention. "I'm not a Jedi. I'm not an assassin," she whispered, swallowing down the memory of the smuggler she murdered.

"Maybe we should all give this a little more thought," Rieekan interrupted.

"Again, no time left, General," Madine lowered his chin. "Her Highness must begin physically preparing for this mission, and contact with Vader must be made. As of right now, we know he's not on Coruscant, but his whereabouts is unknown."

"I can't do it," Leia rolled her lips between her teeth and hugged herself tighter.

"Then the Emperor has already won," Dodonna sighed and shook his head.

Mon Mothma folded her hands into a steeple, "By combining forces with Darth Vader, we more than double our chances of successfully assassinating the Emperor."

"And when the Emperor's dead?" Rieekan grimaced. "What happens next? Vader will take the Emperor's place. When that happens, we will have accomplished nothing other than losing the support and sympathy we fought so hard to gain. Making an alliance with Vader and helping him take power will be the end of our fight, and we'll be on the losing side."

Leia laughed, "General Rieekan is right. You all have lost your minds."

"Why did Darth Vader ask you to help him overthrow the Emperor?" Madine's question was so quiet that it slammed hard against Leia and she sank deeper into her seat.

"I-I don't know why."

Dodonna twitched his mustache and flashed a stern look in the younger general's direction. "What General Madine is asking, why does Vader, once the most powerful Jedi and now Sith Lord, _think_ he needs your help?"

Leia's mouth opened and closed and the color in her face drained away, "I told you in the debriefing. I don't know why. He plans to run the galaxy the way he sees fit, but I don't understand what role he expects me to take."

"A political motive," Madine pressed his lips together. "Perhaps a political alliance?"

"That's highly unrealistic," Rieekan narrowed his grey eyes on his comrade.

"I agree," Mon Mothma stared at Leia, and the young politico withered under her scrutiny.

"Then what do you think his motives are?" the princess asked, her voice slightly wavering.

"Darth Vader senses your strength in the Force," Mon Mothma accused. "He must believe that you are as powerful, if not more powerful, than he is. That's why he believes he can't defeat the Emperor without your help."

The princess clenched her teeth as she braced herself for the verbal blow she knew was coming. Mon Mothma's brow furrowed, "It makes sense. He is your biological father. He of all people would know what you're abilities are."

"Don't go there," Rieekan growled. "Darth Vader didn't even know the princess was his daughter when he held her on the Death Star. He knows _nothing_ about her."

"No? Her midicholorian count is higher than Vader's. Surely, he tested her count when she was in his custody," Dodonna surmised. "Being trained as a Jedi, that monster knows more about her potential Force abilities than we do."

Leia swallowed down the bile in her throat. "I'm not a Jedi."

"You were Vader's prisoner much longer than the last time, Your Highness," Madine tilted his head as he studied the princess. "Surely, he must have learned something about your talents."

"Madine, that's enough!" Rieekan slammed his fist on the table. "You know what torture that sick Sith Lord put her through. After all the sacrifices Her Highness has made for the Alliance, she doesn't deserve this cruelty, and she certainly shouldn't be forced to do something that may be detrimental to all of us."

With that, Carlist Rieekan took hold of the princess' arm, pulling her to her feet.

"Please take your seat, General," Mon Mothma held up a hand. "Her Highness must know all the details in order for her to make an informed decision. After all, this is _her_ choice."

Leia looked up into Rieekan's face and nodded. As much as she despised their plan, she was a member of the High Command and they had to listen to her arguments. She had to try to change their minds.

Mon Mothma waited until Carlist and the princess returned to their seats before continuing. "By forming a temporary alliance with Vader, we have the potential to bring this war to an end and perhaps peace to the galaxy."

The princess lifted her chin, "Again, Vader is just going to be another tyrant. You'd be making a pact with the devil."

"But," Madine smiled, "if you're as powerful as Vader believes, there'd be no reason you can't eliminate Vader as well."

Leia jumped to her feet and slammed her hands against the table, "I'm _not_ a Jedi! I can't believe anyone of you is even entertaining this plan let alone thinking it could possibly work!"

The light saber in the middle of the table began to tremble and a blanket of silence filled the room. Leia's chest heaved up and down with outrage and disgust. Why were they doing this to her? Why did they even _consider_ such a ludicrous plan? She pushed her hair out of her face and closed her eyes.

"We overestimated your commitment to the Alliance," Mon Mothma's icy words sliced through the silence and Leia. "It is a shame Commander Skywalker died on Hoth."

Princess Leia's eyes popped open and her eyes flashed red for the slightest of nanoseconds.

"He would understand it was his duty to right the wrongs of his father."

Leia's father's light saber ignited a breath before it reached her hands and she gracefully positioned herself ready for a physical attack. The three generals pushed back in their chairs and their speechless mouths opened wide and voicelessly screamed out their shock. Mon Mothma, however, remained unmoved by the princess' actions. She knew the princess took one step closer to accepting the destiny that should have been Commander Skywalker's.

Leia stared at the glowing blade that casted a sickly blue hue on her confounded audience. It hummed in time with her respiration as if it was an extension of her being. Though the vibrating blade muted all sound in the room, she heard a distinct heavy sigh. A slight movement in the corner of her eye captured her attention, and she visually chased the ghost that slipped through the emergency escape door.

Leia opened her hands and the ancient weapon clattered to the floor. "I'm not a Jedi," she whispered to herself.

"We'll give you time to think," Mon Mothma nodded. "I'm sure you'll make the right decision. But remember, time is of essence here. We must move in the next six standard months to have a chance of victory."

The princess's large brown eyes sought out Rieekan's but he stared at the table, seemingly oblivious of her need for his comfort. Leia clenched her jaw in an attempt to keep her rubbery legs from melting completely. _Now he knows what I am, what I could be. _She stole a deep breath that strengthened her internal resolve and regally exited the room.

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Han placed a hand on pilot's shoulder, "Thanks, Wedge. I don't know what I'd do without yer help."

Wedge grimly smiled, "Glad to do what little I can."

"You can hardly call what yer doin' for me little," Han favored the Rogue Squadron leader with a small smile. "Stealin' a ship the Alliance technically stole from me isn't the same as deliverin' illegal messages. You're risking a lot on an outlaw smuggler."

"I'm an outlaw, too," Wedge laughed. "And a terrorist. Much worse than being a smuggler."

"Still, it means a lot."

Antilles shook his head and placed his hands on his hips, "I don't understand why the High Command is treating you and the princess like this."

Han looked through the window beyond Antille's left shoulder, "Guess they don't like it much when one of their own gets captured by Vader and manages to escape twice." _And being a close relative to that scum Sith Lord doesn't help._ But he left that unsaid. Only the High Command knew Leia's true heritage, and Leia was thankful for that.

"Still. It's been at least two Coruscanti months now."

"I think Leia's still recoverin' from the ordeal." Han shrugged. "Being stuck here might be the best thing for her right now."

"I can imagine," Wedge nodded. "I better go. Rogue Squadron is scheduled to do reconnisance in an hour." He turned to leave but stopped, "Whaddya going to do?"

Han's troubled eyes glanced in the direction of the atrium, "Dunno."

"Well, my offer is still on the table."

Han shook his head, "Thanks, but I don't wanna drag you into my problems." _Like I did Lando and Tendra._

"Chewie was my friend, too."

"Whadda bout Rogue Squadron?" Han raised his eyebrows. "Don't think the High Command is goin' to give you a vacation."

Wedge chewed his bottom lip for a moment, "Yeah, well, some things are more important."

"Yeah," Han absently nodded, "But the squad wouldn't last long without you."

Antilles smiled but realized Han's mind had traveled on to something else. The pilot quietly took his leave.

Solo rubbed his face and headed toward the atrium. It had been two months since he received Lando's gut-wrenching message. It had also been two months since the High Command's impromptu meeting shook Leia to her core. He would have left that day for Tatooine, but he couldn't leave the princess in such a state. Not that he wanted to ever leave her, but he had a mess that had grown so large that he didn't know if he or any of his friends would survive it. Still Han did contemplate taking her with him despite the danger, but Lando's latest communication assured him that the princess was safer where she currently was. Leia would hate him, and that cut deep into his very soul. But allowing her to help him rescue Chewie might lead to her death or worse.

As he entered the floral scented garden Han found Leia asleep on a lounge chair. Despite the turmoil that gurgled in his gut, his mood softened as his hazel eyes fell upon her sleeping form. The sunrays that filtered through the skylight bounced off her pallid skin and created an earethal glow about her. Her unruly tendrils spilled around her face and over her shoulders, casting shadows that emphasized the child-like peace that lit upon her countenance. And for a nanosecond, Han felt like all was well in the Universe.

But it wasn't.

The smuggler walked over to the cushioned lounge chair where the princess soundly slept. He reached out and ran his finger along her bare leg and traced its smooth contours until he reached the snug black shorts that clung to her curves. His fingers curled around the edge of her rose-hued rough-knit sweater, and he tugged it until it covered the exposed skin of her abdomen.

Leia hadn't donned a rebel uniform since they arrived on Sullust. Instead, she wore the clothes Tendra packed for her to use as a Nongpan. Han wasn't sure if he was worried or relieved by her choice of civilian clothes. Her whole world had once been the Alliance, and Leia wore that uniform with pride. Now that same Alliance and her trusted collueages were the source of her pain. Han wished she'd just walk away from it all, especially after the appalling mission they proposed to her. Rieekan would surely help her quietly disappear. But Han knew better than to suggest that to Leia. For some reason, Leia was still considering the High Command's ridiculous plan. She didn't share much else about the meeting, though she openly shared her barely contained anger when Han tried to extract more details about what happened. He shook his head. Han couldn't believe that Leia would even consider such a plan. But she was, and Han surmised that they must have said something that stopped her from just walking away.

Han reached out and with the lightest and most careful of touches and pushed a lock of hair out of Leia's face. Her pink lips, slightly parted in sleep, emphasized the plumpness of her flushed cheeks. Since they were stashed away in a glorified prison, the princess managed to gain some weight that gave her the illusion of health. Maybe her physical health had improved despite her deteriorating mental wellness. The princess slept longer and more soundly than he'd ever known her to do. The dark circles under her eyes faded weeks ago and she finished most of the meals that were sent to her luxurious prison. Perhaps returning to the Alliance wasn't as big of a mistake as Han originally thought.

Solo bent over to pick up the discarded data pad when the hairs on the back of his neck rose. His hand flew to his empty holster and he cringed, "You have thirty seconds to tell me who you are before I…" he frowned as he stared at the mysterious stranger squatting a few meters away from Leia, "before I kick your small green ass all around this room."

"Heh, small green ass," the wrinkly being tapped his walking stick. "Good one."

Han furrowed his brow opened his mouth and then shook his head.

"Yoda my name is," the stranger's right ear curled and uncurled.

"Yoda?" Han narrowed his eyes. Where did he hear that name before?

"Jedi Master I am."

_Luke._ Han involuntarily shivered as the snow-burning night of his failed attempt to rescue Luke from Hoth's bitter cold blinded his vision.

Yoda shook his head, "A shame that is."

"What?"

"Young Luke Skywalker," Yoda's head tilted to the left. "Not your fault. Blame yourself you should not."

"Who says I do?" the smuggler's tone spilled out harsher than he meant it to be.

"Heh, no one but you."

"_I_ didn't say nothin'."

"Why I am here you asked," Yoda's large green eyes slipped from Han's and landed on the princess, distracting the usually quick smuggler.

Han shifted his weight between his feet and rested his hands on his hips as he blinked his eyes. "Yeah. If they sent—"

"No one sent me, Captain Solo," the Jedi Master rested his chin on his walking stick. "Came here for her."

"Did she wake up, let you in, and then decide to return to her nap?" Han jutted his chin.

"No, of course not. Silly that is," he chuckled. "Of my visits she knows not."

"_Visits_?"

"Visits. That's what I said," Yoda pressed his lips together. "No need of an echo do I have."

"I dunno who you think you are, old man," Han took a step toward the wizened creature.

"Master Yoda. Told you I did," Yoda smirked. "Here for the princess I am."

"I knew it!" Han shook his head. "They just can't leave her alone, can they?"

"Alone they leave her," Yoda sighed. "Here to make sure of that I am. Protect and soothe I do when she allows me."

"You said she don't know about yer visits," Han growled. "Then she ain't allowin' you to do nothin'." Han folded his arms across his chest and glared down at the wrinkled intruder. "Unless yer getting' in her mind like Vader did."

Yoda's closed-mouth smile widened a few centimeters and his right brow rose.

Han's hazel eyes widened and retracted, "You are in 'er head like Vader, damn you!"

"In her head but not like Vader," the Jedi Master's cheek twitched. "Soothe her I do. Teach her techniques to control her anger I do."

"Stupid Jedi mind games," Han grunted. "If everyone kept outa her head in the first place, Agh!" Han waved a dismissive hand and turned toward Leia. "She doesn't deserve to be treated like this."

"No she doesn't," Yoda took a step closer to the princess. "But treated in this matter she is. All we can do is _be_ there for her. Love her," Yoda eyed Han to emphasize his words.

The space-wise smuggler glared at the Jedi Master.

"Protection her from herself she needs. Do it alone she can't."

"Why would she need to be protected from herself?" Han stroked Leia's cheek, inciting a smile in her slumber.

"Much anger in this child there is."

"And that surprises you?" Han forced through clenched teeth.

"No surprises left in this galaxy for me there is," Yoda's green eyes glazed over for a few seconds. "No surprises left. But her anger is dangerous even to her."

Han's face fell as he looked upon the angelic face of the princess. "Obviously, you don't know her very well. She's never been controlled by her anger, except when she's fightin' with me."

But his words rang hollow and chilled his heart as he recalled the viciousness of Leia's attack on Vader as she protected Han. Could she be provoked to that point and attack someone other than Vader with the same uncontrolled rage?

Yoda lifted his chin and forced the angry smuggler to make eye contact, "Love for you she has." Han shifted his weight between his feet, and Yoda humphed. "Need you she does. Know this you do."

When Han said nothing, Yoda raised his gravelly voice. "Anger leads to the Dark Side. The Dark Side is a real threat for an untrained Force-sensitive like the princess."

Han snorted, "Leia doesn't want to be a Jedi."

"Know this I do," Yoda dropped his chin. "Jedi or not, learn to control her anger and fear she must." The Jedi Master sighed, "Vulnerable to Vader and the Emperor she is."

Solo suddenly felt as if he was breathing in bacta gel. But she was safe with the Alliance kept in this comfortable prison. She had people who cared for her and would protect her. _But not like I would._

"Chewbacca, your friends….your ship," Yoda paused to let his words sink in. Han remained stone-faced, but the Jedi Master's words hit him like a bucket of ice water. "Everything you lost is almost in your reach."

Han dropped his head. Yoda rested his chin upon his walking stick. "Rescue Chewbacca you could. Reclaim your ship a possibility it is. Prevent your friends from becoming Jabba's pawns. But cost her and the galaxy it will."

"How?"

"Know who has your ship you do," The Jedi Master studied the anguish marring the man's face. "Follow you she will."

Solo's narrow eyes pierced Yoda's calm green ones, "I'll make sure she can't leave here."

"Heh-heh," Yoda chuckled. "Stubborn like her mother. Strong-willed like her father."

"Whadda bout Chewie?" Han's growled.

Yoda closed his eyes and stayed as still as a statue for almost a minute, "His fate is unclear, but always in motion the future is."

"I can't abandon Chewie," Han shook his head. "He saved my life and Leia's life more times that I can remember. And he's suffered long enough."

"Decide you must how to serve your friends. But to leave now will cost them all that they fought and suffered for."

Han waved a dismissive hand and grunted. He turned his attention back to Leia who hadn't woken despite the conversation that floated over her. He raked his finger through her waves and curls, marveling at the silkiness of her tresses.

"Blue milk she does love. Like her brother." Yoda observed as he returned to the atrium.

Han noticed the half empty glass of Bantha milk and unfinished nerf sandwich left on the circular table next to the lounge chair. "Yeah," he grimaced at the glass.

Yoda shook his head, "Nasty stuff." His tongue flopped out of his mouth and quickly disappeared, "Eh. Can't stand it."

"I'm with you on that."

Yoda hobbled over to the stand at Han's side. He looked up at the relatively tall man and banged Solo's shin with his walking stick. Han grabbed his smarting leg, but the Jedi Master stifled any insults or outbursts the smuggler held at the tip of his tongue.

"No more blue milk brought with her meals she must drink," he dumped the glass over with his walking stick, and the blue milk soaked into the remnants of Leia's sandwich. "Only milk you or I bring let her drink."

Han's eyes widened, "They're drugging her?" Just when he thought the High Command couldn't sink any lower.

"Fear her they do," Yoda's lips pressed together. "Control her they must for their own peace of mind."

Solo gazed upon the angelic face of the princess. How could anyone fear the big-hearted girl? _She almost defeated Vader. She killed that smuggler and stole a ship for him._ Han's heart curdled. Even he harbored a tear-size fear of the woman he loved.

"Dangerous time this is for the princess," Yoda repeated as he walked toward the door. "Need you she does."

Yoda's words soaked through Han's veins and settled in the marrow in his bones. Yoda stopped short of the door, "Here I was not. Know that I visit the princess must not."

"You want me to keep a secret from her?" Han's anger flushed his forehead.

"He-he," Yoda chuckled. "Already hold secrets from her you do." Yoda tilted his head and wore a sad smile, "A Jedi Master visitor make her angry it will. Reveal myself to her when she is ready."

Han shook his head, "Secret's safe with me for now."

"Difficult choice must you make, Captain Solo. Take lightly you should not." With that the old Jedi Master hobbled out the door, leaving Han alone with the sleeping princess. He sat at the edge of the lounge chair with his head buried in his hands.

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Princess Leia held the flimsy so tight in her hands that her knuckles turned white and the fragile note stretched to the verge of ripping. Her body shook uncontrollably and she fought to control her erratic respiration.

"Han…" she gasped, wanting to scream and cry and tear apart the luxury prison. But such actions would change nothing, and it wasn't like she didn't expect it.

Han was gone. Leia wanted to entertain the possibility that after he rescued Chewie he would return to her unscathed, but living in a world of make-believe was beyond her capabilities. Even with Lando and Tendra's help, and even with the Nubian ship filled with spice she stole for him which he now stole from the Alliance, Jabba wasn't going to let him walk away with his life.

And the mysterious appearance of a TY-1300 cargo ship beaten up and patched back together only ensured Han would not survive whatever he soon would face, for Leia's spine painfully tingled and she knew that Jabba wasn't the only threat her beloved faced.

Han was walking straight into a trap far more complicated than one set up by Jabba the Hutt alone. Knowing Han, he was aware of the trap. She dropped the flimsy in the incinerator. Han couldn't have gotten more than half a standard day's start on her. All she had to do was retrieve her light saber from Rieekan without his knowledge and borrow a ship.

The princess smiled as she gathered a few items that might be useful and shoved them into a small carry-all. There were guards stationed outside of her quarters, but they hadn't the power to stop her. They never did. Leia knew that she could've left at any time. After all, she escaped Vader's prison. And, as no one would let her forget, she was the Sith Lord's daughter.

562 991-1741


	13. Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13:

Princess Leia's brow furrowed and her eyes squeezed half closed as she focused all her attention on the thick metal door. _Open. Open. Open._ Her eyes narrowed on the barrier before her as she slowed her ever increasing rate of respiration, _I can do this. I have to do this. I've done this before._ Well, not exactly this. She frowned at the oppressive metal door before her. Her nose twitched. It was probably as thick as it was wide. Leia grunted and slammed her hand against the door. What made her think she could pull this off in the first place?

"Aw!" She shook her hand and addressed the door, "Luke could do it." _I'm not Luke._

She kicked at the pebbles with the toe of her boot. When did she even remotely begin to believe that she had the Force abilities that Darth Vader coveted and the High Command feared? Her large dark eyes scrutinized the length of the palace door, if the large slab of metal could even be called a door. She chewed on her top lip, feeling so small, so insignificant in the vastness of the galaxy. Walls such as the one before her should be nothing to the war-weary rebel. She had conquered more daunting walls as a senator and princess trying to prove herself a skilled insurgent. But figurative walls lacked the tactile reality of literal walls. And this wall crushed the inflated confidence that drove her to charge straight to Jabba's Palace the moment her A-Wing touched down outside of Mos Eisley.

_If I can't do this, Han and Chewie will die._

Leia reached out and touched the warm door. The bitterness and turmoil and paranoia that gurgled behind that slab of metal vibrated through her bones. In the eye of the emotional hurricane, there was a cocky nervousness, a jitter of bubbling thoughts hastily pasted over fear that quietly screamed amid the chaos. Leia rolled her lips between her teeth and curled her fingers into fists. A shiver chilled her nerves and weakened her knees when she touched his mind. It was the same sensation he incited every time he said her name, touched her skin. The first time she experienced it was when he lifted her above the scraps of metal in the trash compactor on the Death Star. His hand pressed against her as he prevented her from falling caused her stomach to flip with exhilaration and fear all at the same time. That giddy feeling was as strong now as it was then. _Han…_She couldn't fail. If she did, she'd lose the only thing that mattered anymore.

_But he left…._

For Chewie, Leia sucked in a calming breath. He had to. Or at least Han _believed_ had to. She rocked from her heels to her toes. She seemed intent on making herself forget that fact. Why? _Stop!_ Leia closed her eyes and pressed her fists against her temples. Leaving her to rescue Chewie was the right thing for Han to do now that Darth Vader was thrown into the equation. She herself would have done the same, _if_ he gave her the chance. Leia had no doubt that Vader arranged the sale of Chewie to Jabba. Han _had_ to know that. She pressed her forehead against the metal door. Of course, he knew that. He wouldn't have charged off to rescue Chewie, and with no incertitude Lando and Tendra, if Vader wasn't involved. But what chance did Han have against a Sith Lord? That monster, _my father_, was her responsibility, not Han's. Why couldn't he accept that? Leia should have insisted on rescuing Chewie before they returned to the Alliance. She shouldn't have allowed him to take on this mess on his own. Did Han fear that she would be in danger or a liability if he brought her along? Or did he just fear _her_?

Leia let her arms go limp and dropped her large dark eyes to the dusty ground. Han had seen what Leia was capable of. Darth Vader made sure of that. Whether or not her agility with a light saber and her Force abilities shamed her, Han couldn't deny that Leia could more than handle herself in a fight.

"I fought Vader and survived," she said aloud.

She fought the Sith Lord and almost won. She not only escaped from Darth Vader's prison, but she managed to liberate Han. _I rescued him_. Leia lifted her chin but her eyes closed. She killed a man and stole his ship for _him._ Her chest tightened. Han would have never wanted that nor would he have ever done that. At least not in the cold manner she used.

"What did I do?" Leia sighed as self-disgust burned in her stomach. What kind of person had she become?

How she wanted to take it back, to erase it. But nothing could be erased, not her ill-fated parentage, not Luke's death, not the destruction of Alderaan. She squeezed her eyes tighter closed against tears she thought would never again prickle the inside of her eyelids. Not an ideal time to lose her emotional restraint, but her chest loosened a touch. Her heart wasn't as dead as she thought. Perhaps this one-woman assault on Jabba the Hutt's Palace would right the wrongs she caused either directly or indirectly to those she loved. She had no other choice but to succeed.

Princess Leia opened her eyes and clenched her teeth together. She stared at the metal door and extended her left hand towards it. Her jaw trembled as she searched out Han's presence and reached into his mind. Her own mind turned inward, filling it with Han and pulling his suffering into her. Her chest bubbled with anger, and she took several stretched breaths to force it into her gut. A calmness settled over her, and she took a step back as the palace door rose wide enough for her to enter.

The princess lowered her hand and her right eyebrow arched. The open door raised the possibility of everyone walking out of this mess without having to face Darth Vader, provided that Vader wasn't inside the palace. Leia stood as still as a moypif. No, her father wasn't there. Her frown slithered into a smile, _Luke would be proud._ She slipped under the door before commanding it to close behind her. The clank of metal against metal shook the floor. Leia slipped into the shadows and cursed herself for not being more careful.

Farther down the torch-lit hallway two obscured beings hobbled and bumped together as they made the way in her direction.

"Ah, Sith!" she muttered under her breath.

She sucked her stomach in and hugged the gritty wall. Their beady yellow eyes glowed in the dim light as they carried on a conversation in their guttural language. Leia didn't understand them, but she felt a settled calmness, maybe a touch of giddiness, as they performed their nightly duty patrolling the halls. Her brow furrowed. They had to have heard the door closing. She tilted her head to the left. Then the princess smiled to herself as their alcohol-laden stench wafted meters ahead of them. If they noticed the clank of the door they seemed too inebriated to be concerned. However, if the guards continued on their current path, there was little chance that they'd fail to notice her.

Leia slid her tongue along the roof of her mouth and her cheek twitched twice. She dropped to knees, rolled across the dusty floor, and unfolded to her feet like a liob flower in bloom. The two Gamorrean guards froze for the slightest nanosecond before grabbing their vibro-axes. Leia stepped forward, twisting her body to stare down the one on her left. Her large dark eyes mimicked the wide-eyed shock of the porcine humanoid before she crouched into a ball and rolled between the guards. The Gamorrean to her right brought his vibro-axe down, slicing his friend's head in two. His deep guttural moan slammed Leia in her gut. Closing her eyes against her guilt and his pain, she thrust her hand in his direction. The large humanoid flew across the narrow passage and hit the wall with a skull-cracking thud.

Though her body trembled, Leia stood as still as possible and waited for the inevitable to happen. Her heart pounded hard in her throat, and she struggled to shut out her own vital signs, the dead guards, the darkness surrounding her. She closed her eyes and focused all her attention on her auditory senses, waiting…waiting…waiting…

The girl cautiously opened her eyes when what she waited for never happened. She didn't expect breaking into Jabba's Palace to be so easy. But then, getting in wasn't her biggest concern. Leia wiped the sweat from her hands on her dress as she searched out Han again. His anxiety pressed down upon her, but he was still there to feel. She stole a cleansing breath, pulled the hood of her cloak over her head, and took careful solid steps into the Hutt's den.

_What next?_

When Leia had first entered Jabba's Palace, the long dark tunnel appeared to never end, but once she started down the path it didn't take her long to reach the heart of the debauchery Jabba was infamous for. She stopped and rolled her bottom lip between her teeth. _Didn't you have a plan for getting out?_ Humanoids littered every part of the room as they yelled and laughed in every language across the universe. Force-sensitive or not, she couldn't take on all of them. What was she thinking? _Han._ And that was all she needed to think about. Leia wrinkled her nose against the stench of unwashed bodies and stale ale. She pulled her cloak tight around her and kept her face hidden in the shadows of its hood, willing herself to be invisible. She maneuvered her small body around much larger and sloppier beings and wormed her way to the center of the calamity all the while managing to remain in the unnoticed.

Leia's eyes surveyed the crowd and shook her head in disgust. Why would anyone notice her? There didn't seem to be a single sober being in the---

The princess stiffened as her heartbeat sped up. The drunken crowd formed a semi-circle around a table. Leia scrunched down to peer through a window between bodies. The incandescence from an overhead skylight fell upon two sleep-deprived men playing a card game, creating a glowing aura around them. She blinked twice at the sight of Han facing Lando as they fiercely studied the cards in their hands. Her large brown eyes were then drawn to the enormous slug-like being gorging on Gorgs and Klatooine paddy frogs. So that was the notorious crime lord, Jabba the Hutt. Her brow raised at the sight of the golden droid partially hidden by Jabba's swollen form.

_Threepio?_

Leia chewed the inside of her lip as her mind raced. Things started to look grimmer by the second. If Threepio was here, where were Artoo and Tendra? She tipped her chin down and shifted her eyes around but found no sign of the astromech droid. Lando's feisty wife wasn't one to sit around and allow her husband to suffer. The princess' hands balled into fists. What if she was too late?

"Com'on, Lando," Han sighed. "Just get it over with."

Lando shook his head, "I can't let you do it."

Jabba grunted and growled, and Leia cringed.

"The Great Jabba the Hutt does not want to remind you again that the object of the game is to win," C-3PO interpreted.

Han's lips curled, "Can't rush these things." His hazel eyes glanced up at his friend and rival. _This is my mess,_ he mouthed across the table.

The golden droid's head swiveled between Han and the crime lord. His shrilly voice called out, "If the Sabaac game does not end in the next hand neither of you will walk out of here alive."

Leia stretched onto the tips of her toes to get a better look at the table. Both men had almost an equal amount of credits piled next to their hands and a larger mound lain in the middle of the table. Sweat collected on each man's forehead, running down their faces, and soaking their chests. The princess reached into the folds of her dress and gripped the hilt of her light saber. She wasn't sure what she was going to do, but she had to do something. Just as she was about to activate her weapon, a familiar howl caught her attention. Leia turned her head toward the sound and sharply sucked in a breath.

_Chewbacca!_

Chewie's steely blue eyes glared down on the crowd and gazed into her large brown ones as he tugged on the restraints that held him chained to the wall like a sick sort of trophy. Leia released her hold on her light saber and reclaimed her grasp on reality. She held the Wookie's eyes as she tucked away her weapon, and her face pinched up with smugness. All eyes were on the card game. She dropped her chin and began to weave her way toward her big friend. If she managed to cut Chewie loose, they could take the room by surprise. But the sea of bodies proved harder to penetrate when traveling against the current. The princess expelled a frustrated grunt as she elbowed guts and stomped toes, fighting the urge to pull out her saber and slash through the legs of her obstacles. Leia swallowed hard. These beings may have perpetrated many horrible crimes, but they did no wrong to her. _Like the smuggler I killed._ Her moment of contemplation cost the headway she made towards Chewie. Leia cursed her stupidity when she realized that she was pushed back to where she began. She stood almost shoulder to shoulder with the intoxicated beings cheering and spilling ale on their neighbors. Leia tapped her toes against the soles of her combat boots as she prepped to try again. Why couldn't anything be easy?

"Okay," Han ran a hand over his face then pushed all his credits to the middle of the table. "Twenty-eight hours of this game is long enough. All in."

Leia's heart leapt to her throat, and she turned her attention back to the game. Time had run out.

Lando's mustache twitched and he gritted his teeth, "Sure 'bout that, buddy?"

"His High and Mighty Jabba the Hutt reminds you that a bet cannot be taken back once it's placed," Threepio stammered after the Hutt's angry outburst.

"You can always fold," Han gazed into Calrissian's dark eyes.

Lando nodded slowly before turning back to his cards. A heavy hush intermingled with the smoky stale atmosphere as every being waited for the skilled gambler to make his move. Lando swept his hand over his credits and shoved them into the larger pile. Han dropped his head and grimaced while Jabba's blubber belly shook with his deep laughter.

"Oh, dear!" Threepio's hands flew into the air.

"Show them," Lando grunted, and Han splayed his cards on the table in front of him. Lando's face fell and his mien paled.

Han gripped the edge of the table, holding his breath. Lando's hand trembled while he placed each card on the table one by one.

"Ha-ha!" Han's respiration returned like the gust of a Tatooine windstorm and his face broke into a lop-sided grin.

The room erupted into a chaotic roar and Leia's shoulders slumped. The foul taste of guilt soiled her mouth, but she couldn't stifle her relief.

"You win!" He grinned at his friend.

_What?_ The princess pressed her lips together and pushed her way closer to the front of the crowd.

Lando shook his head and his brow furrowed, "How could you possibly have a worse hand than mine?"

"Call it Solo luck!" Han stood up and faced Jabba. "He wins."

Jabba laughed for almost a minute as Han waited with his hands on his hips. He clenched his teeth together, hoping for once the gangster would honor his commitment but knowing fairness wasn't in Jabba's nature.

When crime lord's merriment waned, Threepio translated his words, "The Great Jabba the Hutt had…no intention of honoring his word." Threepio's torso slumped slightly forward while waiting for Jabba's next words.

"Doesn't surprise me," Han muttered as he glanced over his shoulder at the deflated Calrissian.

"However," Threepio straightened, "the High and Mighty Jabba the Hutt was greatly amused by your foiled attempts to lose each hand and is pleased with the outcome. Calrissian will suffer a less painful death after an indefinite period of servitude."

Han swallowed his grin. Lando had a chance. He then glanced at his restrained best friend. "And whadda 'bout Chewie?"

Threepio practically sighed, "The amount offered by Calrissian along with the ship, spice, and entertainment you offered will buy Chewbacca's freedom."

Jabba nodded in the direction of the restrained Wookie, and two Gormmean guards scrambled to unhook his chains from the wall. Still bound the guards dragged Chewbacca until he was standing in front of Jabba next to Han.

"Oh dear," Threepio muttered before he began his translation, "Since Chewbacca will, without a doubt, try to save Captain Solo from the merciless death he deserves, Chewbacca will be imprisoned for his conspiracy to prevent justice from being served."

"You can't—"

Solo cut off Lando with a stern glance.

A Weequay using a long-nose sniper rifle as a walking stick stepped forward. He pulled Lando to his feet and shoved him forward with the barrel of his weapon, causing the man to stumble. Lando straightened, and glanced back at Han. Han squeezed out a small smile of regret as the Weequay prodded his friend forward.

Chewbacca groaned in Lando's direction before turning his attention back to Han. He shook his head and wailed.

"Hey, pal. Don't do anythin' I'd do," Han lifted the right side of his mouth and shrugged. Chewie rolled his blue eyes.

The porcine humanoids tugged on Chewie's chains, almost pulling the great Wookie off of his feet. Chewbacca countered their efforts by pulling his forearms together.

"Give us a minute, will ya'?" Solo yelled.

The yellow-eyed guards looked to Jabba who gave them orders. The Gorrmean guards loosened their hold on Chewie's restraints.

Han sighed while he listened to his friend's final words to him.

"Hey," he caught Chewie's and the guards' attention before Chewie was dragged away. His voice softened but scratched against his throat, "When you get outa here, find Leia. Take care of her will ya'?"

Chewie tipped his head back and emitted a hybrid howl-moan. His eyes slipped toward Leia, and she shrunk into her cloak. But her diminutive size kept her hidden safely within the crowd, and quicker than she wanted, her giant friend was roughly whisked away.

The Hutt shoved a paddy frog into his mouth and cackled.

"You never know, Jabba," Han stretched his mouth into a mirthless smile. "Someone might come in 'ere and take you out." Solo's hollow threat incited the slug-shaped gangster to slobber and laugh.

The air in the soon-to-be-dead smuggler quickly leaked from an invisible puncture in the center of his heart. Jabba was right. Han was a terrible friend. And now they all would pay. _No_, Han amended. _Not Leia._ She may be suffering in her own private hell, but Wedge promised to watch over her, and when Chewie gets out of here…

"Looks like I'm all yours," Han smirked. "Give me yer best."

Jabba grunted out his final words to Solo, words that needed no translation, and Threepio seemed relieved for that. Han shifted his weight as the crime lord's den fell silent. With a creaky crack the floor under the smuggler's feet clanked open, casting him into a pit that lay below the stench-filled room.

"Captain Solo! Oh, no!"

Leia's entire being lurched forward when Han disappeared from sight, and she reached for her light saber without a conscious thought. Her head remained calm and cool but her anger burned hot inside her. Still hidden beneath her cloak, the princess shouldered her way out of the wild mob and marched straight up to Jabba. The Roan guard nearest the gangster's throne trained his blaster on her and squeezed the trigger. Leia whipped her hand out from under her cloak as if she intended to block the laser with her bare palm. The room exploded in gasps and Jabba's eyes widened as the blaster flipped out of the Roan's hand, sending the laser bolt into the crowd.

Before any being could recover from the shock, Leia narrowed her fiery eyes on the gluttonous Hutt. Jabba jiggled back and appraised her small form.

The blue light of Leia's saber created a beautiful arc as she spun the weapon. With that simple move, she deflected the blaster bolts flying toward her from all angles, and instead of slicing Jabba to pieces and fulfilling her heart's black desires, she cut into the metal lattice floor.

"Princess Leia!"

Leia dropped down into the same chute Han had fallen and slid to face whatever fate that awaited him. The sandy chute rubbed her bare legs raw, and before she could get her wits in order, she was spit out of the slide unceremoniously, landing hard on her backside. Leia shrugged off her cloak, stretched her fingers, and reclaimed the light saber that lay beyond her reach.

"Leia!" Han's harsh tone caused her to jump. "What are you doin' here!"

Leia found her feet while her large brown eyes drank in the large beast behind the rising cage door. She brandished her saber, positioning herself for a fight. "You looked like you could use a little help."

"I'm fine on my own!" Han stormed over to her and lifted her off her feet.

Ignoring the pleasurable tingle his touch incited, the princess tried to wiggle her way out of Han's arms. "Will you let me go!"

He pushed her into the hole they slid out of before, "Get in there!"

She looked up at the gangsters' thugs hollering and exchanging money and then to the rising gate. Leia twisted around to look at Han. "It's too steep, and even if we could get out that way, the odds are stacked against us."

The metal gate clanked against the ceiling and the massive beast roared as it stretched its limbs and sniffed the air. With a rattling sigh, it entered the larger area that Han and Leia occupied. The small woman soaked in the approaching creature.

"_What_ is that?"

"A Rancor," Han let go of the princess and they retreated to the wall furthest from the beast. "I think the odds are worse down here."

"I'd rather face one enemy than a room full," she frowned as she repositioned her light saber and prepared herself for a fight. "Stay behind me," she ordered, igniting her weapon.

"Stay behind you?" Han huffed without obeying. "Whaddya think yer gonna do?"

The large beast slowed his pace before shuffling back and holding a clawed hand across its yellow eyes. Leia pressed her lips together in a small smile and whirled her weapon in an erratic pattern while she charged forward.

"Leia! Are you crazy?" Han reached out to grab her but the wild swings of her saber kept him at bay.

Jabba bellowed and grunted. Han's hazel eyes rose to see the grotesque Hutt peering through the lattice holes above them. His face screwed up, "You didn't kill him before your brilliant idea of joining me?"

"More important things to take care of," she grunted and slowed her advance.

"Like what?"

"Like saving your ass!" She huffed as she studied each move of the approaching Rancor.

"Who's gonna save yours?"

"Will you shut up?" Leia chanced a glance over her shoulder. "You're not helping!"

"Oh," he muttered, "I'm not helping."

Han clenched his teeth together, ran his fingers over his empty holster, and cursed under his breath. The next time he had a blaster in his hand he wasn't going to let it go. He glanced around for something lethal some other victim might have dropped, but only their bones littered the sandy room. He turned his attention back to the princess. What did she think she was going to do with that light saber? That Rancor dwarfed her small figure. Solo ran a hand through his face. What chance did either have? His hazel eyes then focused on the determined woman he loved and watched her gracefully wield the ancient Jedi weapon. His heart pounded loud in his ears. _She fought Vader off_, he reminded himself several times but that thought failed to inspire any of the confidence Leia possessed.

"I wish you wouldn't get so—"

The Rancor's roar bounced off the rounded walls and bared its dagger-like teeth as he stooped down and swept Leia aside, causing her to drop the weapon.

"Leia!" Han's fear seared his throat.

He started toward her, but she whipped her hand around in his direction, and he landed hard on his backside.

Han grimaced, "If you ever do that again—"

"Later!" She frantically glanced around as the Rancor closed in on her.

"Over here!" Solo swiped Leia's light saber from the ground and ignited it. He ran away from the princess while waving the weapon and his free arm in the air.

The Rancor whipped its head in Han's direction and blocked his eyes with one large claw. The beast's wail caused Leia to wince. Her large brown eyes widened in horror. What did he think he was doing?

The reluctant Force-wielder climbed to her feet, "Again, not helping!"

"Pardon me, Your Worship!" Han advanced toward the Rancor as he sliced the air with Leia's weapon. "Am I interfering with your astounding rescue plan?"

"I had things under control!" she quipped then cringed.

"So the Rancor slapping you across the room was part of the plan?" Han shouted a nanosecond before he charged headlong at the Rancor with the saber over his head.

"I already tried that, Flyboy!" Leia yelled.

The misshaped beast shrank away from Han and blocked its beady eyes with its forearm before charging in Leia's direction. Han stopped in his tracks and cursed once again. The Rancor moved faster than he would have thought possible for a creature of that size.

"Leia!"

The princess felt her light saber flying toward her. Without taking her eyes off of the Rancor, she used the Force to guide it from Han's hand to hers. Han couldn't suppress the lop-sided grin despite their dire circumstances. She never ceased to amaze him. Leia's eyes shifted to her right and she flashed him a smile while she adjusted her stance, carefully centering her weight between her bent legs. She then bit her bottom lip, held the deactivated weapon in front of her, and watched the charging Rancor with a furrowed brow.

"I don't think blinding him will work again," Han's feet slipped on the grainy floor as he tried to rush to her side. "You're only gonna piss him off."

Leia stood motionless, "He already is, if you haven't noticed."

Rancor slowed its pace but continued to close the distance between it and the princess.

"I noticed the moment I saw him!" Han yelled as he neared the princess.

Leia narrowed her large dark eyes on her quarry, blocking out Han. She waited and waited until just the right moment. As the Rancor's long sinewy claws reached for her, the princess activated the light saber and whipped her blade over its fingers and claws. The blade separated the claws from the Rancor's digits but failed to do no more than slice through the flesh of his fingers. Leia's already large eyes widened and for a near fatal moment, she froze.

"Will you stop antagonizing him, Your Worship?" Han rolled out of the way of a clipped claw. He sprang to his feet and reached out to grab her, but the howling Rancor swiped at Solo with its uninjured hand. The smuggler slammed hard against the wall furthest away from Leia.

The Rancor wailed and brought its injured digits to its mouth to lick the wounds.

The princess' arms went limp, her saber zipping closed before it slapped against her thigh. "He's not angry."

Han used the wall to aid him as he pulled himself to his feet, "Sure looks angry to me."

Leia's large brown eyes gazed up at the beast's wrinkled face. "He's hungry."

"Well, I don't wanna be his dinner," Han quipped but things didn't look promising.

"He's just following his instincts," she whispered, mesmerized by the beast that now approached her at a rapid pace.

"What are you babblin' about?" Han grunted. His eyes fell to a thin permecrete ledge not too far from Leia. Why hadn't he noticed it before? Did that matter? Han ran to her across the Rancor's playroom and wrapped his arms around Leia's tiny waist as he passed her. He swept her off of the ground, and they slid effortlessly under the permecrete ledge.

The Rancor's grunt drowned out the moans of the disappointed crowd. Han laid his body on top of Leia's to protect her from the looming creature and to prevent her from doing something stupid. The Rancor squatted in front of the ledge and reached for the rebels with its uninjured hand.

"His intentions aren't evil," Leia swiped at a lock of hair tangled over her face. "He's just as much a victim of Jabba's whims as we are."

Han slid his hand down Leia's body, "Well, this is sort of an us-or- him situation."

He slipped his hand under her body and pulled out her light saber. Han activated it just as the Rancor's claw scraped the dirt next to them. He dragged the blue blade across the beast's claws, breaking them off. The Rancor howled, raising his arms in the air.

"Move, Han!" Leia screamed as she rolled out from under him and dragged him out of their hiding place. She pulled her light saber from Han's hand.

The Rancor's fists came down on the permecrete ledge with such force that the structure was pulverized to dust. Han's mouth dropped open, "We're in trouble."

The smuggler's fear zipped up Leia's spine, overshadowing her own and sparking her anger. She had a job to finish, and that was to save Han's life. Her eyes flashed yellow for the slightest nanosecond as she took the offense.

"Whadda ya' doin?" Han yelled. He moved to rescue her from her own stupidity but found he was unable to move. "Leia!"

Leia stopped within a Rancor arm's-length from the beast. She held her light saber in her hand but once again did not ignite it. The Rancor twisted its head as it studied her. When the princess made no attempt to escape, it closed its long fingers around her, trapping her arms against her body. The beast's grip was tight and painful, but the blood that trickled from its cauterized wounds allowed her a little squirming room. Her countenance was colored with both fear and guilt as the Rancor raised her to its open mouth.

"No, no, no!" Han's ability to move abruptly returned and his fears for Leia burst in his gut. He shoved himself to his feet while he kept his hazel eyes glued on the princess. Jabba's guttural laugh spilled into the Rancor pit. The sound grated against Han's ears, spurring him into action. He grabbed a skull near his foot and hurtled it at the Rancor's head. He gave a stunted whoop of success as it hit his target's yellow eye. Unfortunately, the smuggler's triumph was short lived. The vexed Rancor rubbed its eye but didn't let go of its prize.

Han's failed attempt did, however, revive Leia's wits and give her a chance to strike. She slithered around and freed her arms and light saber. As the Rancor lifted her to its salivating mouth, Leia dragged the blade across its wrist. The gigantic beast growled in pain and violently shook her before he dropped her. As she fell, she lashed out with her light saber, striking the Rancor in its throat. She then hit the solid dirt with a thud and lay crumpled in a ball.

"No!" Han scrambled to her side. "Leia," he turned her over. The princess lay limp in his arms. "No, please," he whispered and ran his hands over her body, searching for wounds. He sat back on his haunches, "Hah…the Rancors blood."

Solo laid his head upon her chest, closed his eyes against all distractions, and listened for any sign of life. The tension melted from his shoulders and puddle in his feet. "I knew you couldn't leave me," he whispered into her ear before sitting up.

When his comment failed to incite a reaction from her, Han gently shook her but she remained unresponsive. "Please, Leia. You hafta get up."

The Rancor raged and howled, slamming its shoulders against the walls while it clenched its neck. Han gathered Leia into his arms and carried her to the farthest distance from their predator. He held his breath, waiting for the beast to bleed to death, but the Rancor wasn't giving up that easily. Its only good eye targeted its prey and with heavy steps stumbled toward the two rebels.

"Ah, Sith!" Han cursed as he pulled Leia onto his lap.

He glanced up at the cheering criminals and narrowed his eyes on Jabba. The Hutt's own bulbous eyes were opened as wide as possible and his slimy tongue wagged around his cavernous mouth. Not the way Han expected all this to go. He certainly didn't factor Leia into his potential losses. Han dropped his chin and tried to push Leia's tangled tresses out of her face with no success. Maybe it was for the best she remained unconscious.

The Rancor stumbled toward them, and Han screwed his eyes shut. He pressed his face against the crown of Leia's head, breathing in the scent of her hair.

_Need you she does._

That damn gnarled Jedi Master knew what he was talking about. Why didn't Han listen? He knew Leia would follow him, and hoping otherwise wasn't going to stop the stubborn girl. What did he do? Chewie wasn't in as much danger as Leia. Lando and Tendra could have successfully freed his co-pilot with their wits and wealth. In fact, Han's presence only angered Jabba and erased any chance of bartering with the Hutt.

_Dangerous time this is for the princess._

Solo shifted the princess in his arms. What if Vader got a hold of her? The Sith Lord wanted her alive, as did the High Command, as long as she served their purpose. Han could have kept her safe, but instead he lured her into a trap that didn't have a convenient trash compactor.

So what was worse? Darth Vader or the Rancor?

"I'm sorry, Sweetheart," Solo whispered against her hair.

The princess pushed at her hair until she was able to look up at him, "Why are your sorry?" She blinked her eyes and rubbed the back of her head. "Ow. It was my rescue plan."

Han smiled down at her, "You've definitely been spendin' too much time with me."

"Wouldn't want to be anywhere else," she cradled his face in her hands and pressed her lips firmly against his. Han tightened his hold on her, losing himself in her kiss and blocking out their fatal reality.

The ground rumbled and jumped underneath Han and Leia, and Jabba barked and cursed. Han broke their kiss too look over his shoulder. His mouth dropped wide and he blinked a few times.

"Hah!" He laughed and jostled Leia. "You killed it!"

Leia winced in pain as the enthusiastic smuggler roughly expressed his joy. She carefully pushed herself into a seated position and stared at the fallen beast. Han was alive. She was alive. But the death of the hungry Rancor settled heavy in her gut. Already on his feet, Han took her hands, pulled her up off the ground, and whirled her around. She stumbled back onto her feet and threw her arms tight around his body, burying her face in his chest and breathing in his familiar scent.

But their celebration was swiftly interrupted by screams and roars and blaster fire. Han tilted his head up. "Someone's not happy," he quipped as he released Leia from his arms.

"What did Jabba expect?" the princess pressed a hand to the small of her back and arched. "Your dumb luck never fails."

Han cringed as she winced in pain. He lifted her chin to peer into her face, "You alright?"

Leia favored him with a fatigued smile, "I'll survive." Her hands then clapped against her ears and she raised her eyes to the mayhem above them. "Or maybe not."

Han's hands slipped down her body to rest on her hips. "We still have my dumb luck." He flashed a lop-sided grin at her.

Leia shook her head and rolled her eyes. She leaned a little to the right and stretched her hand out. The light saber shivered in the sand before it flew to her hand.

"And your Force-thingy there," Han shrugged his shoulders without releasing her.

The princess gripped the ancient weapon with both hands. The skin at the nape of her neck tingled and her large brown eyes flooded with fear. Han moved one hand to her cheek and his brow lowered. Before he could say anything, Leia let her lips slide into a heartfelt smile.

"I love you," she confessed.

Han returned her smile, "I've always known."


	14. Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14:

Using Leia's hips for balance, Han Solo tipped his head back as far as he could in an attempt to get a gander at the chaos that had broken out in Jabba the Hutt's den above the pit. Shouts and quick movement blurred above them, and Jabba's guttural voice rang out over the ruckus.

"What's going on?"

Han's lips stretched into a lop-sided grin and he deposited a kiss on the tip of Leia's button nose, "Tendra."

"What?"

Instead of answering, he took her hand and gave it a short squeeze before pulling her along. As they passed the fallen Rancor, Leia's pace slowed. Han halted and looked at her. Her heavy sadness seeped through their connected hands, and her turmoil pressed against his chest. Han frowned and then brought her hand to his lips, kissing it with great care and breaking the spell the dead Rancor had over the woman he loved.

"Him or us, Sweetheart," he reminded her before continuing on.

Leia allowed him to guide her toward the only exit out of the pit. Han stopped and kept himself and the princess half-hidden behind the lifeless Rancor's outstretched leg. A gut-wrenching wail followed by sniffling and moaning floated over their hiding place. Han chewed the inside of his cheek and waited. His fingers touched his empty holster.

The princess wrapped her own delicate fingers around his wrist. "Maybe you should let me handle this."

He turned so that he could look at her, "Why would I let you have all the fun?"

Leia shook his head, "I would gladly allow you to play hero, but as it is, I'm the only on with a weapon."

"My brilliant brain," he tapped his head and smiled, "is the only weapon I need."

She rolled her eyes, "Did you a lot of good against that Rancor—"

Han released Leia's hand, screamed at the top of his lungs, and ran toward whoever was standing between him and the exit.

"Damn!" Leia cursed as she brandished her light saber and followed him.

But Han didn't need her help. She found him sitting on top of a tuber-shaped man and examining the blaster he just procured from his victim's hand. Solo lifted his head and smugly smiled at Leia. "See?"

"Han, look out!"

Leia pumped her feet and ignited her saber. She jumped in front of Han and blocked the laser shots aimed at him. She twisted and jerked the ancient weapon, occasionally managing to send a bolt back at their oppressors. Han recovered his feet and joined her. He squeezed the trigger of his newly acquired blaster over and over until the assault slowed then ended.

The princess de-activated the light saber, rolled it between her hands, and tucked it away in the folds of her skirt. She jutted out a hip and rested her hand on it as she watched Han slide his new blaster in his holster. She tapped her foot in an attempt to contain her anger.

"Perfect fit," he looked up from the holster and held out his arms.

Leia's large brown eyes widened and retracted. She pulled herself to her full height, "Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

Han's triumphant smile faded and he slammed his fists on his hips, "I should be asking you the same thing."

Leia grunted before heading toward the open gate. As she passed the smuggler, he caught her arm and yanked her to a stop. Her cheeks reddened and her eyes narrowed as she formed her thoughts.

But Han didn't give her a chance to speak. He leaned over so that his face was centimeters away from hers, "You should be here, Leia!"

"If I wasn't here you would have been the Rancor's dinner," her voice dropped low.

"The Rancor's the least of my worries," Han growled and headed toward the unguarded exit. "And now I've got one more," he muttered. "Come on. We've already wasted enough time."

Leia glowered at Solo's back while she climbed over the fallen henchmen. She stretched her leg over a Gorrmean guard who blocked the entire width of the walkway. Her face scrunched into a scowl when Han didn't stop to help her. With a stifled "oof", Leia found herself flat on her stomach, but at least she had conquered the obstacle. As she pushed herself to her feet, she paused for a moment. _Score!_ She smiled to herself and picked up a discarded blaster, marveling at the comfort and fit of the weapon in her hand.

Han frowned and glanced back at the princess. "You have—" he closed his mouth at the sight of the unadulterated pleasure coloring his companion's face. His frown faded and his mood lightened. It had been so long since he had seen the rare glow of elation that warmed Leia's cheeks. Who would have thought a blaster would incite such joy? But Leia always was full of surprises. And no matter how talented she was with a light saber, Han knew she wasn't very fond of the ancient weapon.

He pressed his lips together, closed his eyes for a moment, and rested his hands on his hips, "You okay?"

Wearing a shadow of a smile, Leia nodded. Han sighed and waved his hand, "Let's get movin'."

He led her through a maze of halls, and Leia couldn't help but wonder why Han seemed so familiar and comfortable with the palace's lower level lay-out. Each torch-lit corridor looked exactly the same to her, and each one was seemingly deserted. She stretched her neck to peer around Han's body and then whipped her head around to look behind them.

"Why isn't anyone pursuing us?"

"They probably have their hands full." Han turned down another corridor.

"Tendra?"

"Uh-huh," Solo came to an abrupt stop in front of two diverging paths and rubbed the scar on his chin. "That ship full of spice y—we stole belonged to someone. Turns out the slime that expected the shipment of spice don't like Jabba too much."

Leia smiled though Han wasn't paying her any attention. "And Tendra told him where it was."

"Her, and yeah."

The princess raised her eyes to the low ceiling as if she could see through it, "So _she_ and whoever works for her are here to collect their rightful belongings. You had this planned all along?"

"Yeah, 'cept the Rancor part."

Her right eyebrow arched, "So what would you have done if I wasn't here to save your skin?"

His eyes roved over the deviating walls and he ran his hand through his hair, "I woulda figured somethin' out."

Leia folded her arms over her chest, "Like what?"

"Huh?" He shook his head. "I don't know. 'Sides the plan was to rescue Chewie, not me."

The princess hooked her fingers on his belt and flashed him her cockiest smile, "Obviously you needed me."

_Need you she does._

Han glared down at her, his hazel eyes soaking her in as if it was the first time he truly saw her. Her shoulder length hair rolled and flipped around her face, and her internal fire blazed hot in her eyes. An invisible hand snaked its way through his chest until it wrapped around his heart and squeezed. _Dangerous time for her this is._ Despite the strength that radiated from Leia's small frame, she looked so fragile to him.

He turned away from her, "You shouldn't be here."

"Chewie's—"

Han grabbed her arm and lifted her slightly. He leaned his face close to hers, "Do you know who's here?"

Leia's eyes narrowed and her skin flushed, "Yes."

He held her steady gaze. "You shouldn't be here." Han slid his hand down her arm before he let her go, then rubbed his face while he shuffled in a circle before coming to a stop.

"Are you lost?" She made no attempt to hide her vexation as she rubbed her arm.

"No!" his protest came out louder than intended, and Han cringed when Leia flinched. But now wasn't the time for apologies, especially since her presence complicated things. He rolled his eyes. When were things not complicated where Princess Leia Organa was concerned?

Han turned his back on her and rested his hands on his hips. He shifted his weight as he scrutinized the walkway to his left. That path led straight to Jabba's den, and it was the path Han intended to take. He wanted to make sure that that slimy Hutt was dead, and if he wasn't, Han wanted to be the one to do the deed. And Chewie would know of his intentions and look for him there.

"Chewie knows I'm here."

"Huh?"

"He saw me," Leia's brow lowered, "in the room where Jabba is."

Han pressed his lips together as he scrutinized her upturned face. Her torch-lit countenance remained open and expectant while her eyes reached into his soul. How did she do that? Solo shook his head and resumed his deliberations. He didn't have time to deal with that now. And he didn't have time to run into Jabba's den like a crazed maniac, not with Leia in tow. _She fought Vader,_ Han reminded himself, but the strange green creature's warnings rang louder in his ears. _Vulnerable to Vader and the Emperor she is._ Jabba wasn't either but he didn't want to take any chances with her. Leia had her own death warrant over her head, and Han was certain there were more than a few eager bounty hunters hanging around that were well aware of it. The sooner he got her off Tatooine, the better.

The smuggler's mouth pulled up to the right as he took one last look down the path on their left. "Sith!"

"What?"

"This way," Han took her hand with more care and gentleness than he had earlier, and they hurried their way down the path on their right.

"Captain Solo," Leia spat. "What are you keeping from me?"

"Leia, I don't have time for this!" He picked up the pace.

"At least tell me whether or not you know where you're going."

"Why can't you just trust me?"

Leia inhaled and exhaled several times, fighting against her desire for even a tidbit of information. "Of course I trust you!"

"Then keep your pretty little mouth shut."

"Oh!" the princess expelled in frustration.

Han could feel the heat of her rage emanating from her. _Much anger in this child there is._ The space weary smuggler swallowed down the old Jedi Master's words, but he couldn't swallow down the uneasiness prickling his stomach. He released her hand and stalked ahead of her, creating a distance between them in an attempt to clear his mind. But clearing the princess from his mind whether she was in his arms or half-way across the galaxy was virtually impossible. And the added danger she was in because of him only addled his thoughts and churned his gut with worry.

Before Han knew it, they had reached his intended destiny. His hazel eyes scanned the small hangar littered with skiffs and speeders. He fingered the blaster in his holster that gave him a minute sense of security.

"Shouldn't we find Chewie and the Calrissians?"

Han looked at her as his lips twisted together. Leia chewed her own bottom lip but kept her attention on the walkway they exited.

"They'll find us."

"How can you be so certain?"

Solo grimaced, "What happen to you trustin' me?"

"I do, but—"

"Then no more questions, kay?" he softened his tone and forced a closed-mouth smile for her.

Leia pursed her lips together but held her tongue. She wished she had Han's confidence, but she couldn't push down the tickle of uneasiness that irritated the hairs on the back of her neck. Something wasn't right. Her large brown eyes wandered around the hangar and she tilted her head to the right. _What wasn't right?_ Leia shook her head.

"I have a bad feeling," she whispered as she wrapped her fingers around his left hand.

"That's the understatement of the century," Han rolled his eyes and gave her hand a short squeezed. "Come on."

They used the shadows created by the various vessels to move through the busy hangar, and to Han's surprise no one paid them any attention. The hasty movement around them created a tense stench that weaved around the skiffs and speeders. Whatever was going on inside of the palace must have been detrimental for Jabba. He and Leia weren't the only ones making a getaway. Han's mood lightened a touch and cockiness swayed its way into his swagger as he led Leia to a bland door open to the bright outside.

Leia's own weary steps fought to keep up with the Solo's confident swagger. She felt the knot in his stomach uncoil, but that didn't bring her any comfort. She wanted to drag him back to the walkway that dumped them into the hangar. However, that path would lead them farther away from an escape. At least, that was what Han thought. He obviously knew more about the inner workings of Jabba's Palace than she did, and having a bad feeling wasn't going to change his mind.

Han stepped out of the shadows wearing a lop-sided smirk, "See? Th—"

"Don't move, Solo."

Leia let out a startled gasp, and Han hesitated. He released the princess' hand and held up his own. "Boba Fett," Han grinned. "Yer a little late. So if you'll let us go on our way…"

The heavily armored Mandalorian trained his blaster on Leia. He chuckled, "I'm not interested in you anymore."

"Good," Han lowered his hands halfway and stole a glance at the stone-face countenance of his companion. He widened his grin to an open smile, hoping to placate the bounty hunter. "Then as I said—"

"I'm here for the princess," Fett tipped his metal-encased head in Leia's direction. "She's worth more than you ever were."

The smuggler ran his tongue along this inside of his cheek as he rested his hands on his hips. "Can't letcha do that."

"You plan on stoppin' me?" Boba Fett's tinny voice hitched with a subtle pleasure.

Han started to draw his blaster as the bounty hunter aimed his rifle at him. Han knew his chances of winning this blaster fight were slim, but if it bought Leia sometime to run he would have no regrets. The moment before the two enemies fired, the princess jumped in front of Han.

"Vader wants me alive!"

Her rushed words brought the showdown to an abrupt stop. Boba Fett pointed his rifle to the sky while Han's shot harmlessly bounced off his Mandalorian armored shoulder. Leia exhaled. She could feel Han's fury and almost hear the scalding scolding that stayed trapped on the tip of his tongue, but Han was still alive and still had the chance to escape this ill-fated encounter with the bounty hunter.

"You're a lucky man, Solo," Boba Fett hissed. "You won't be so lucky next time."

"If there is a next time," Han drawled.

"You're right," Fett pointed his rifle at the princess once again. "There won't be a next time." He shifted his weight. "I trust, Your Highness, you will cooperate. And before you get any ideas, I have killed many Jedi in my day."

"I'm not a Jedi!" Leia screamed as she simultaneously activated her light saber.

Before anyone knew what was happening, the glowing blade sliced Boba Fett's rifle in two, and Leia's foot slammed into his chest and knocked him off balance. Han's horror impaired his ability to react with his notorious speed, and his failure to act left him with no clear shots. Fett stumbled back as Leia threw the light saber to the ground. Boba Fett teetered into Han's line of fire, and Solo couldn't help but thank his dumb luck. But his finger froze in mid-squeeze when Boba Fett ensnared the princess in a tangle of ropes. Han's panicked eyes dropped to the light saber rolling around on the dusty ground. _Why did she drop the light saber?_

"Han!"

Han dropped to the ground just as Boba Fett fired his hold-out blaster. Solo slid under the rope that tethered Leia's arms to her sides and recovered her discarded light saber. The brilliant blade sliced through the rope, dropping Leia into his arms at the exact moment Boba Fett flew to the side in a blur of brown fur.

"Chewie!" Han yelled in relief.

Chewbacca had the disorientated bounty hunter pasted to the ground as he took his enemy's head and banged it against the permecrete floor. Boba Fett's helmet sufficiently protected his head but couldn't prevent the dizziness that increased with every impact. The great Wookie lifted the bounty hunter by the arm and swung him around like a rag doll. Boba Fett struggled to activate one if his many arsenals of weapons, but before he could his body cracked against the wall. Chewbacca turned to Han and waved his hand.

"We're comin'," Han freed Leia from Fett's metal rope.

Leia stepped out of the remaining tethers that pooled around her feet and took her saber from Han's hand. Han stood up and started toward the Wookie, but Chewbacca shook his head and roared. The smuggler spun around and watched in horror as the princess headed straight for her would-be captor.

"Leia!"

Princess Leia put her foot on Boba Fett's forehead, pressing down just enough to force him to look at her and expose his armor-free neck. She ignited her light saber and held the tip at the bounty hunter's vulnerable throat.

"A Jedi cut your father's head off," she said as the blade sizzled against the edge of Boba Fett's armor. She felt him slightly shudder while the memory seared his min.

Han and Chewie drew their blasters. "Leia, Come on!"

"You were just a kid," Leia leaned forward to peer into the bounty hunter's visor. "You shouldn't have seen that." The light saber seared the breastplate nearest his neck. Still keeping him pinned down with her foot, she pulled her spine straight.

"You were just a kid," she repeated to herself.

Leia lifted her foot off of Boba Fett's head and de-activated the light saber. "And I'm not a Jedi."

The princess pivoted on her heel, turning her back on the stunned bounty hunter, and joining Han and Chewbacca. Chewie stepped between the princess and the bounty hunter, his fangs exposed despite Boba Fett's lack of fight. The Wookie wasn't surprised that the fearsome bounty hunter made no further move to collect Leia for a bounty. The little princess' actions shook the great Wookie to his core. But just in case Boba Fett recovered his wits, Chewbacca walked away without turning his back on his enemy.

Han's face was splotched red with anger and horror and worry, a sharp contrast to Leia's serene continence. Unfazed and as calm as a bueto, she placed her light saber in his hand.

He frowned as he looked at it. Leia's hand slipped away and she pushed her hair behind her ears. "I'm not a Jedi."

Han pressed his lips together and hooked the weapon to his belt.

"You guys took forever!" Lando exclaimed in a harsh whisper. "We gotta get outa here."

Han opened the backseat door and slid in, "Great! How did I end up sittin' next to Goldenrod!"

"Sorry," Tendra looked over her shoulder, "this is the best we could do."

"No complaints, here," Han shrugged as he reached to pull Leia inside. "You can sit here, give Chewie more room."

The twin suns of Tatooine slowly arced their way toward the horizon, casting a brilliant gold on the speeder's occupants. In the center Artoo navigated while Tendra analyzed the options the stout droid computed. Lando sat in the seat next to Tendra resting his head against the window as he claimed some much needed sleep. Threepio was mercifully quiet, but Leia was the one to be thanked for that. She flipped him off the moment he began to retell the "hell" he suffered at the hands of Jabba the Hutt. Han smiled to himself. If it wasn't for that chatty droid, Chewie and Lando wouldn't have known that he and Leia survived.

Han looked at his furry friend. How he wished he was there when Chewie strangled Jabba with the chains he was once tethered with. But Solo didn't have an ounce of regret of getting Leia out of there. A smile touched Han's lips as contemplated the Wookie. But Chewie paid him no mind. His steely blue eyes rested upon the small pale fingers curled around two of his larger ones. If Chewie didn't show up when he did…

Han stifled the "what ifs" with an exaggerated yawn. It had been an endless amount of days, and he wanted nothing more than to give into his need for sleep. But the small woman perched upon his lap, her legs twisted with his, her skin rubbing against his, was enough to override his need for rest. Both of his arms were wrapped around her, and one of his hands captured hers. Han smoothed his calloused fingers over hers and moved the open palm of his other hand in small circles over her belly. Leia dropped her head against his shoulder and her respiration fell in time with his as she settled into him. Han's eyes instinctively closed. She was soft and warm and so real.

And she wasn't supposed to be here.

Leia lifted her head. "Mos Eisley's crawling with stormtroopers," her whisper caught everyone's attention.

Tendra looked over her shoulder, "You're right." She offered the princess a grim smile.

"You came through Mos Eisley?" Han's stern voice prickled Leia's ears.

"Of course not," she pulled away from him. "Do you take me for an idiot?"

Han's eyes opened as wide as his mouth, "Now that—"

Chewbacca roared causing both Solo and the princess to jump.

Before the conversation could escalate any further, the speeder stopped. Leia's brow furrowed and she leaned over the great Wookie to get a better look at what lay outside.

"Where are we?"

Tendra roused Lando from his nap and twisted around to look at Leia, "It's an abandoned moisture farm. Artoo found it, though I'm not sure how." The droid tweetered but no one paid him any attention. "With all that's happened, it's probably better to hide out until things quiet down."

Han inhaled sharply, an action not lost on the princess. She clenched her teeth together. Whether or not he liked it, she was here and nothing could change that now.

The weary group exited the speeder. Tendra glanced at the domed entrance of the moisture farm, "We've been staying here while we were planning Chewie's rescue so it's stocked with the bare essentials."

"I got the power running," Lando smiled and yawned at the same time as he stretched his arms.

"The _Lady Luck _is docked in Mos Eisley," Tendra's lips settled into a grim line. "Lando and I will retrieve the _Lady_. It's probably for the best if you stay out of Mos Eisley."

Han shook his head, "I should go with—" He stopped and glanced at the princess. Chewie grunted and hurgled. "Fine."

Feeling like a Turf in a Gropin picnic, Leia drifted away from her friends as they lingered near the speeder discussing their options. She held her elbows and approached the darkened entrance but stopped many meters from it. A bristling chill electrified her spine, and she shuddered. There was something familiar about this place though she never set foot on Tatooine before in her life. As she exhaled her breath crystallized despite the warm weather.

Snippets of the tense conversation taking place near the speeder drifted over her and settled like a rock in her abdomen.

"I don't care if it's clean," Han's voice rose. "It's not worth the risk."

"Artoo…"

"…outa here as soon as possible."

"But you love that ship!" Lando's voice betrayed his on fondness of "that ship".

"I didn't come 'ere for it….Chewie….Vader…"

Leia's shoulders hunched forward and closed her eyes to block out the broken conversation. A slow chill numbed her brain and slithered down her backbone and into her nerves. The desert air burned her lungs. _Luke?_

The princess opened her eyes and shook the cold out of her bones. She glanced back at her friends, but none of them seemed bothered by the climate.

"…not safe for any of us, especially her."

"Hey, Leia?"

She turned to face Han but didn't move from her spot.

"Where's your A-Wing?"

"Closer to Jabba's Palace." She answered and frowned as Han's face fell.

She turned away again and swallowed down her anger with Han. There was no way she would leave her friends to face Vader without her. How could he think she'd do otherwise?

"…too dangerous…at night…"

"Sand People?"

Leia squeezed her eyes shut and dropped her head while pushing their conversation from her mind once again. There wasn't a safe place in the entire galaxy. No, that wasn't true. She felt safe in Han's arms, but right now it was unlikely she'd feel any comfort from him. Or any chance that he might even offer it.

"Come on," Han placed his hand on her head and dropped it as he walked passed her toward the moisture farm's entrance. She followed him at a distance into the interior of the peculiar dwelling and did her best to pay no mind to its décor. Something about this place rattled her heart, but she couldn't pinpoint the reason why. Chewbacca followed in silence and R2-D2 waddled his way down the steps. Once they reached the open plaza the princess lifted her face to the sky.

"Lando and Tendra going to Mos Eisley?" she asked.

"They're gonna return to the _Lady Luck_ and bring 'er out here tomorrow morning. It'll be easier to conceal Threepio, but Artoo might be a help here." Han explained without looking at her.

Chewie grumbled and Solo rolled his eyes. The Wookie humphed and disappeared into one of the catacomb-like rooms. Artoo twittered and headed in the opposite direction. The princess watched the droid roll away and wondered where he was going. She shook her head and turned her attention to Han.

"Vader doesn't know that Tendra and Lando are involved," she offered, but as the words fell from her mouth she doubted their truth. Han walked away from her.

"You wanted to go," Leia stated. Han picked up his pace. _You didn't because of me,_ she bit the inside of her cheek. "I'll go. We could comm Tendra. She shouldn't have gotten far."

"AGH!" Han stopped, pivoted around, and glared at Leia. She jutted out her chin and folded her arms across her chest. "Sometimes you're more trouble than 'er worth!"

Leia narrowed her dark eyes on him and leaned forward, "I could say the same about you! If you didn't piss off Jabba, we wouldn't be on this dust ball of a planet!" She turned on her heel and stormed away.

"Where do you think yer goin'?"

"Mos Eisley!" she shouted into the wind.

"No yer not!" Han grabbed her arm in a vice-grip.

"Let me go!" Leia jerked her arm in random intervals, hoping to throw Han balance off. If Chewie were nearby, the uncouth smuggler would never get away with this. She could yell for the Wookie, but she didn't hold Han's contempt for her against him. She did deserve it. But he didn't understand how important it was for her to be here. Vader wanted her, not her friends. And Leia had a strong feeling that torturing her friends wasn't what Vader had in mind, especially after she almost defeated her father when he forced her to fight him. No, Vader would kill them, and without Han and Chewie, Leia had no doubt that she would break like a willcon tick in a sandstorm.

The princess continued squirming, but that didn't stop Han. Unfazed, he yanked her into a small domed room, released her, and paced the small area. Leia shrank into herself, waiting for the coming blast of words she wasn't whole-heartedly certain she deserved. Han continued pacing with one fist planted on his hip and the other holding the back of his head. The princess could see that his ire strangled his words. Her large brown eyes shifted from Han's frenzied pacing to the small door leading out of the room.

Her mouth opened, but the red rage coloring Han's neck and face silenced her. Her brow furrowed and her lips pursed together. That was it. The princess turned on her heel and started for the exit.

"Where do you think yer goin'?"

Leia flinched, "Away from you."

Han shook his head and grabbed her arm, "Uh-uh. Yer not gettin' away that easily."

The princess narrowed her eyes and glared at him. "You better let me go," her voice dropped.

"Or what?" Han yanked her arm and pushed her against the curved wall. "You gonna use that Force thing on me again?"

Her chest rose and fell with each breath and her bottom lip slightly trembled, but she refused to break eye contact. Han was certain that the ire that resided those brown pools matched his own, but her glare held a touch of…of what? Fear? Guilt? Loss? He loosened his hold on her but he didn't let her go.

Han dropped his head and said nothing.

"You know what I can do," her words shivered.

He nodded as his eyes scrutinized her senatorial expression. "Yeah," he pressed her into the wall. "I do."

Leia blinked twice and her mouth opened, but all her words were figuratively slapped out of her. Han clenched his teeth together as her body visibly tensed under his hold, and he couldn't remember any other time when she looked so vulnerable, so childlike, even as the images of her defending him from Vader clouded his thoughts.

Her distress silently screamed out to him, pleading for him to take it all away. His shamed pressed down upon him. The loss of Luke, Alderaan, the discovery that her worst enemy was her father, the distrust of the High Command…How could he add to her suffering? Han's free hand opened and closed at his side. He wanted nothing more than to hold all of her in his arms, gently and lovingly, giving in to her wishes.

_Much anger in this child there is._

But Han didn't see an ounce of anger in her now. Just fear and hurt.

"I…It just happened," Leia's soft voice tugged on his addled heart. "I—I don't know how I did it. I just," her eyes dropped to his chest before returning to his. "I…I don't want this…"

_Need you she does._

The princess' large entreating eyes of chestnut brown melted the marrow in his bones, and Han wanted nothing more than to alleviate her distress with kisses in all the right places and free her tormented soul with soothing caresses combined with the perfect words. But once again he didn't give in to her needs or his desires. Instead of pulling her into an embrace, his hands planted themselves on his hips.

"Whaddya doin' here?"

"I thought I already made that clear in the Rancor Pit."

Han rolled his eyes and slapped his hands against his thighs, "Do you even understand the danger you're in?"

"Do you?"

"Vader's not lookin' for me!"

Her head tipped to the right and her voice softened, "In what condition is the _Falcon_?"

"What?" Han lowered his brow. Leia raised her right eyebrow. "You think I came here for the _Falcon_?"

"You could've—should have rescued Chewie months ago," Leia challenged. "Why run off the minute you hear rumors that the _Falcon _had been spotted?"

Han stalked toward her and grabber her shoulders, "_You_ were in more danger than Chewie! I couldn't leave you like that!" He shook her, "Vader's here. The _Falcon's_ just bait, an' I wasn't gonna let that monster get to Chewie!"

Solo stopped shaking the princess. His face blushed with shame as he let her go. Suddenly, fatigue overcame him. "But you already know that."

Guilt coated the fury in her large brown eyes. She nodded once, "The bait was for me, not you."

_Vulnerable to Vader and the Emperor she is._

"Then you shoulda stay away," Han tentatively reached out and brushed the back of his hand against her cheek.

"You didn't," her mouth quirked to the left.

"You have more to lose, Leia," Solo's voice rose.

Leia gazed into Han's hazel eyes and sighed, "I know." She placed her hand on his chest, "And I'm not going to let him take any more from me."

_Protection from herself she needs. Do it alone she cannot._

Han ran his fingers through her hair and let his digits brush against the soft skin on her cheeks. He sucked on the inside of his cheeks. Leia knew exactly what she was walking into when she followed him to Tatooine. The princess did intend to rescue Chewie, and as it turns out Han as well. But unlike Han who planned on high-tailing it out of there before Darth Vader showed his face, Leia came to face the Sith Lord on a more even playing field. _What have I done?_

Solo's mistakes couldn't be erased, but he could prevent Leia from making one of her own.

"Let's get some rest," Han smiled and kissed her lips.

"Sounds good," Leia's smile reflected her weariness but also her relief. She took his hand, bent it up, and twisted her fingers with his. Han then led her deeper into the catacombs of the moisture farm, hoping to forget about their problems at least for a little while.


	15. Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15:

Princess Leia's large brown eyes opened to the darkness. Pressed tight against her back, Han's warm breath rustled her hair as he soundly slept. At some time during the night his hand had found its way under her shirt and now cupped her right breast. Leia smiled to herself, placed her arm over his, and closed her eyes. She listened to Han's rhythmic respiration and synched her own with his, hoping it would lull her back to sleep.

_Leia._

The princess' eyes flew open and every inch of her skin not touching Han's rose in bumps. Leia wiggled deeper into Han's embrace to soak in the comforting heat rising from his body, but the frost that invaded her own body did not recede. She carefully reached for the blanket that Han had kicked to the floor and clawed at it until she managed to pull it over her body and tuck it tight under her chin. But the blanket brought her no relief from the inexplicable chill, and Han's touch began to sear her skin. Leia rolled partially onto her back to get a look at her companion. Wearing a goofy smile as he slept, Han appeared to be unaffected by the room's temperature, nor did he show any signs of a fever.

Leia frowned as she turned her head away. She nestled back into Han's embrace, slipped her hand under her shirt, and pressed it against the back of his.

_There's still good in him._

Leia sharply inhaled and icy needles pricked every millimeter of her skin. She laid as still as possible and waited for the nightmare to dissolve. It had to be a nightmare. That was the only explanation. But whatever spooked her escaped her grasp. She rolled her lips between her teeth twice and willed her muscles to relax. Then Leia slowly slithered out of Han's arms, careful not to wake the worn-out smuggler. The very second she escaped the cocoon he formed around her, she violently shivered. Hugging herself, she glanced at Han, reached for the blanket, and tenderly covered him with it. He shrugged it off and shifted onto his stomach. The smuggler then threw his arm over the vacant pillow and pulled it to him. Leia arched her brow, unsure if she should be bothered that she could be easily be replaced by a stuffed piece of material. She pushed her hair behind her ears and smiled. There was no way she was going to let him replace her with a pillow. She put her knee on the bed.

_Can you feel the conflict?_

The princess shuddered as her eyes searched the darkened room. Instead of returning to the safety and comfort of the bed Han slept in, she slipped her feet into her combat boots and shuffled her way out into the open plaza. Leia rubbed her hands together as she scanned the area. Her eyes traveled to the cobalt blue sky littered with stars. She wrapped her arms around herself and listened. The unnatural silence pressed heavy upon her, and she stole a slow breath and held it in. The first of the twin suns emerged from the hazy horizon, slowly and steadily chasing away the stars while the second still remained hidden as it waited to complete its natural life cycle.

Leia stomped her unlaced boots to get the blood pumping through her legs before she walked out into dusk emptiness. She inhaled deeply as she headed toward the rising suns. An invisible hand teased the hairs at the nape of her neck, and the princess paused. _Han…_ She never desired him or needed him so desperately before this moment. And she found herself standing on the catwalk in the steamy carbonation chamber on Bespin, watching helplessly as Han was taken from her.

_I can't do this without you. _ The words became a mantra from the moment he dropped out of sight until she freed him from the slab of carbonite. She glanced over her shoulder and scratched at her arm. Her mouth opened, _I…I'm…_

No, Leia would not go back for him. This was _her_ nightmare and _her_ monster, and Han had suffered too long and lost too much because she entangled him in her personal hell. Despite her unsteady internal foundation, Leia's steps remained firm and undeterred. She continued forward determined to face the monstrous devil that had haunted her long enough.

"Leia."

The princess shuddered as the syllables of her name spoken in his metallic voice hit her ears. Nevertheless, she didn't breach her path until the object he left for her was at her feet. Leia pushed the familiar coat with the toe of her combat boot.

"You look cold."

She glanced down at the long sleeve knit shirt and snug-fitting black shorts she wore. Her large brown eyes lifted to the masked orbs that she knew followed her every move. The left side of her lip pulled down as she continued to hold his gaze.

"It's colder in space." The words pirouetted off of her tongue and floated on the desert breeze, words pulled out of nowhere.

Darth Vader grasped his belt, his fingers curling tight around the thick band. The girl's eyes bore deep into his and it felt as if the ground quivered beneath him.

"I knew you would come," Vader shifted his weight, but her large brown eyes, her _mother's_ eyes, never wavered.

"No, you didn't." Leia challenged. "You can't get into my head."

"You're easier to read these days," the Sith Lord dropped his hands from his belt and crossed his arms over his chest. "And you're here."

The princess tilted her head and stayed silent and still. Darth Vader's scarred forehead crinkled inside his menacing mask. Her fury simmered close to the surface and its heat seared the Dark Lord's senses, but there was something different… something was missing...

"For my friends." Her chin crinkled as her eyes narrowed. "But you knew that."

Vader's head dropped a millimeter. Fear. He chewed his lips. Princess Leia Organa no longer feared him. All those times she stood before him at political functions and later as his prisoner, she never cowered out of fear like everyone else. But she _did_ fear him. Of that he was certain. He exploited her fears to gain whatever he could squeeze out of her. If she didn't fear him…

Darth Vader smiled beneath his mask. Fear was useful, but his daughter's anger proved to be an even more valuable weakness to exploit. He was one step closer to reaching his goal.

"You're not all powerful."

The Sith Lord froze. _You're not all powerful!_

_I should be!_

Leia slowly shook his head, "No, you shouldn't."

Darth Vader swallowed down the lump of unease that threatened to interfere with his equilibrium. He watched her crouch down and run her hand over the fur collar of the coat. She balanced on the toes of her unlaced combat boots with the agility of a simiquot. His feet were unstable and wobbly though the entire sole of each firmly pressed against the ground.

The princess sucked on part of her bottom lip, "No one should be."

"You could be," Vader let his arms unfold from his chest and relax at his sides. "You could right all the wrongs of the galaxy."

"You wanted to," Leia stood up with slow regal grace, holding Han's parka in her hand. She tilted her head and lowered her brow. "What happened?"

He pulled his metal spine straight as he shrank inside his black armor.

She shifted her weight, centering it equally between her hips before giving into a stifled shrug. "Maybe you did."

The princess felt Vader cringe and her large brown eyes bore deeper into his masked orbs. She ran her hand along the heavy parka, _Han's parka_. "Right and wrong is a matter of individual perspective."

Anakin Skywalker closed his eyes, finding himself in Palpatine's office standing between Mace Windu and the Chancellor. Who was right? The Jedi Master who intended to kill Palpatine, a Sith Lord, instead of lawfully putting him on trial? Or was it the Chancellor who intended to mold the galaxy into his own ideal utopia using any means necessary?

Darth Vader opened his eyes, "You're mother would be proud."

Leia bristled, hugging Han's coat to her chest. "I wouldn't know," she whispered once she untangled her tongue. "You killed her."

Those three soft words floated upon the gentle desert wind and slammed Vader square in the chest. His flesh parts trembled beneath his protective armor, and he squeezed his fists together to prevent himself from making the same mistake twice. This child was _his_ daughter. _She's mine. She's all I have left._

"Watch your tongue, _daughter._"

Leia pressed her lips together. _Daughter._ It was easier to look at that monster as her tormentor, the vilest evil in the galaxy, than to look at the black-armored…_thing_ as her father. Her stomach curdled, and she clenched her abdomen muscles tight to keep herself from losing her last meal.

Darth Vader's fists relaxed and his hands found his belt once again. The girl did not shrink away from him, but he felt tremors of repulsion flavored with a healthy amount of unabashed contempt ripple through her. Now she was the unbalanced one.

"You have my blood in your veins. Your untapped powers potentially surpass mine."

Leia narrowed her eyes, but the knuckles of her fingers clutching the parka whitened, "Then you should fear me."

The Dark Lord laughed. "You still have a lot to learn," Vader took a step closer to her. "You need my help to conquer, or…assassinate the Emperor."

He smiled at the slight widening of his daughter's eyes. He took another step forward, "That's what they want of you."

He didn't say who _they_ were. Her blank silence left no need to. So the idealistic little princess knew what it meant to be betrayed by those she trusted. Many years ago, twenty-three to be exact, Darth Vader would have empathized with her, perhaps hold her in his arms to comfort her, heal her, to protect her from anymore pain.

But twenty-three years ago, he was still Anakin Skywalker, not Darth Vader. And Darth Vader had no capacity for empathy anymore. His lips trembled with pleasure and his chest swelled. "That is the only way to defeat the Emperor. You know that to be true."

"I'm not a Jedi."

"Good." Vader's pleasure hissed through his respirator.

_There's still good in him._

Leia shifted the coat to her arms. "There's nothing good."

The Sith Lord froze. His brow lowered as he studied her still form. Her eyes remained on him but she stared right through him, her growing anger dissipating around him. He involuntarily shivered under the ferocious fury she turned on some unseen and unidentifiable presence.

_Would you save him if you could?_

Leia's vision focused once again on her father. "No."

Darth Vader took a step back and greedily smiled at the girl. She managed to contain her anger but it burned more brilliantly than it had when she was his prisoner. Allowing her to leave his Coruscanti prison served him well. Once he harnessed her powers, he would be free of the fanatic Emperor and he could finally bring order to the galaxy with his daughter by his side.

"You're the galaxy's only hope," the Dark Sith whispered, causing the ground beneath Leia to quiver.

_You're my only hope._ Would those words forever haunt her? General Kenobi was her only hope, but he died and hope wasn't lost. However, if he hadn't responded to her message, would the galaxy be any worse off or be completely devoid of hope? If General Kenobi didn't leave her father to die, would Anakin Skywalker have retained some sense of hope? Would she be standing here with the atrocity the Jedi Master left behind as that atrocity told her that _she_ was the galaxy's only hope?

He inhaled as he watched her resolve start to melt. "Mon Mothma?" The princess took a step back as he took a step forward. "I wondered if she was still alive."

Leia bit her lip and blinked, adjusting Han's coat in her arms. Darth Vader rested one hand on his hip, pushing back his cape to reveal his light saber that hung from his belt. "She was friends with your mother. I believed that she coerced your mother to commit treasonous acts." He saw the slight twitch of his daughter's brow and smiled. "Of course, you wouldn't know that. So many secrets…"

"For both of us."

The Sith Lord bristled but reveled in her brazenness. He swallowed before he continued, "Yes. Tell me, how did the righteous Mon Mothma react when she learned who your true father was?"

"Bail Organa is my father," Leia lifted her chin.

Darth Vader squeezed his fist together, stomped in a circle, and then thrust his arm out in her direction before he could stop himself. The princess crumpled to the ground.

"Bail Organa is just as guilty of this mess as Obi Wan and Mon Mothma and—" his voice caught and his respiration hiccupped, "my Padme."

Leia panted and curled her fingers into the fur of Han's parka until she regained her bearings. She felt as if she had just been smashed between a Star Destroyer and a planet. The tenderness in Darth Vader's voice when he spoke her mother's name knocked the air out of her harder than the physical Force push he sent her way. Leia squeezed her eyes shut tight against the onslaught of unexpected tears. _Oh, Han!_ Her hand slipped under her shirt and cupped her breast just as Han did only moments ago. How she wanted nothing more than to run away with him and live out their lives far away from this galactic mess. But she could not have that. Leia, released her breast, pressed her hands against the ground, and locked her elbows to prevent herself from falling back to the ground. Then the princess raised her head and glared at her father, her eyes burning with contempt.

Her hate pierced his heart, not the cold mechanical one that pumped synthetic blood and lubricants in an uninterrupted rhythm, but the heart he thought had died when Padme betrayed him. Pain…excruciating agony intense and unbearable, such pain he hadn't experienced since…since he ceased being Anakin Skywalker and became Darth Vader. Was it worth it?

_Can you feel the conflict?_

Leia's body ached, but she managed to hold herself upright without the use of her hands, "There is no conflict."

Her quiet words crystallized on the warm desert breeze, and Vader watched them melt away.

_Let go of your hate, Leia._

The princess dragged in a ragged weary breath. The first Tatooine sun stood at half-mast, silhouetting the already shadowed being that haunted her dreams far too long. She ran her hand over Han's parka and wiped away the sand that settled upon it. She picked it up, swung it over her head, and slid her arms into the sleeves. She closed her eyes and inhaled the familiar, warm, and comforting scent of her and Han mixed together the way she wished it would always be. Leia's eyes slowly opened and her chin lifted. Now she wore armor just as strong, if not stronger, than that that encased Darth Vader.

"I will not make a pact with the devil," the princess stated. "Your _evil_ blood taints my own, but that does not bind my destiny with yours. And I won't do it for the _Alliance to Restore Freedom to the Galaxy_. Embracing such an abomination will neither restore nor bring freedom. And…" Leia sighed and shook her head, "I may pray every night that the Emperor die a very painful and prolonged death just as I do for you, but my hand will not be the one to do it."

Darth Vader rested his fists on his hips, a stance of power to hide his ever shrinking hold on his only child. "Blood means nothing to me, Your Highness, when it comes to loyalties. If you do not join me, I will be forced to kill you."

Leia shifted her feet under her body and pulled herself to her feet. Her hand unwittingly slipped into the coat's pocket and her fingers brushed against something. She looked down as she pulled out a flimsy.

Pushing the errant strands of hair behind her ear, she silently read the crumpled note, "Leia, stay warm, Han."

Her chestnut eyes roved over the words, Han's words, trying to make sense of it all. The note had been tossed away onto the deck of the _Executioner_. She watched the balled up flimsy bounce on to the grated floor until it settled into a roll. But here it was in her hand, the note Han had left with his coat when he left her. _But he didn't leave…_ She rubbed her fingers against the smooth material. Every line, every loop of the letters that formed each word on the wrinkled flimsy was made with great care by Han. Leia closed her hand around the worn flimsy, crumbling it back into a ball before she raised her eyes to Darth Vader.

"I suppose you're going to have to kill me." Leia shrugged.

The Sith Lord tore a piece of dried skin on his lips with his teeth. Either she was calling his bluff or she had given up. Princess Leia was a fighter, and he wasn't bluffing. It would be a shame to end her life. She would be the most lethal weapon in the galaxy if he managed to control her. But if he couldn't control her, his own daughter would be his greatest enemy.

"Don't be foolish, my child," the Sith Lord admonished. "Dying before you reach your full potential will be detrimental to the galaxy."

"My full potential?" Leia's eyes slipped to the left before returning to Vader. "What will that cost me? What will it cost those in my life or the galaxy?" She shook her head, "My home world has been destroyed, my friends have been tortured, and…and everything I have loved you have taken away so you could help me reach my _full potential_."

"It no longer has to be that way if you just do as I say, daughter."

The princess wryly smiled and shook her head, "No, it doesn't have to be because I'm not going to let you hurt anyone I love ever again." She slipped her hand under her coat and behind her back, "This all has to end."

Leia's hand emerged from the heavy waves of Han's winter coat, her fingers tightly wrapped around the butt of a blaster. Darth Vader reached for his light saber at the same moment but halted his action when the princess failed to aim it at him. Instead, she held the blaster in her hand, turning it this way and that as she scrutinized the fine details of the worn blaster.

"A light saber is more effective and accurate than a blaster," he said.

She dragged her attention away from the weapon and glared at her biological father. "Sometimes."

Her wistful smile faded as she raised the blaster and aimed it at her temple. She had never loved anyone liked she did Han. Her love for him consumed her and left her breathless with an elation that couldn't be described with words. His essence settled deep inside her long before she would admit. He gave _her_ life, her own life. And though it was a short one…_so much time wasted_, it was the most precious gift she had ever received. Their souls weaved their ways through each other's until the beginning and end of each soul was lost. And without him she would be lost and soulless and dead to the world. Han rescued her countless times, stood by her side, and gave her the strength she needed when she had nothing left inside. She knew he always would as long as he could no matter what it cost him. Leia loved him more than her own life and would sacrifice herself for him without a thought. _I'm sorry, Han...You are my heart._

She kept her large brown eyes, _Padme's eyes_, on Darth Vader's expressionless orbs and pulled the trigger.

"NO!"


	16. Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16:

Han Solo slouched against the rough wall with his hands in his pockets. Both suns had forced their way over the horizon, bleeding out the brilliant blue and leaving a dull gray sky in their wake. Although it was relatively early in the morning, the muted glorified suns began punishing the desolate world, challenging its inhabitants to adapt to the constant changing environment and chasing weaker beings away. Han always hated Tatooine, even the larger cities like Mos Eisley and Anchorage that yielded more comforts. The only reason he and Chewie were on Tatooine when that old man and the kid showed up in that cantina was because of Jabba the Hutt. Han figured a few winning Sabaac hands could temper the Hutt's ire with a healthy down payment, or his natural charm would allow him to chat his way into a job for the criminal warlord that would make them even.

And he did talk his way into a job (or was that Chewie?) that paid more than Jabba demanded. Han ran his right hand through his hair, disturbing the sand that had settled there. Seventeen hundred credits, two thousand up front, for chartering passengers to Alderaan with no questions asked. A mirthless closed-mouth smile found its way upon Han's lips as he shook his head. He and Chewie received more credits than the agreed upon price, but freeing a princess out of the detention center on the largest and most lethal battle station he'd ever seen did render more credits. It certainly wasn't what he and the old man agreed upon.

_There going kill her!_

_Better her than me!_

Han slammed his fist against the powdery wall. He lifted his eyes and followed the shapeless lip of the patio. _How could I have ever said that? _Solo wasn't sure when it happened but credits no longer motivated him. If they did, the last thing he would have done was help Luke destroy the Death Star. No, he would have left after he collected his award, returned to Tatooine to pay of Jabba, and follow the stars until whatever happened next happened.

But he stayed, and he stayed for those two idealistic kids who believed they could change the galaxy. Han had never met anyone with such optimism, such determination that Luke and Leia possessed. Their large eyes, two blue and two brown, reflected such openness, such trust in him that he sometimes had to look away. Luke attached himself to Han without hesitation. The kid didn't know a thing about him other than Han reluctantly helped him rescue some girl neither one knew. As mind-boggling as it may be, that must have been enough for Luke. He looked up to Han, though Han wasn't a man that anyone should look up to. And Luke considered Han his best friend, though Han never thought himself as much of a friend to anyone other than Chewie.

And then there was Leia. She was an enigma, a constant contradiction, royalty that defied the constraints of her title. The princess' words could sting and her scathing looks could freeze his heart, but her eyes…those large brown eyes always held such warmth that eased the barbs she shot at him. Each tart insult was delivered with precision, revealing her attention to detail. She knew him, penetrated his hard shell, and she still cared about him, even loved him. Han rested his head against the wall behind him. All of her efforts to convince him to join the Alliance were not for the benefit of the rebels. No, she wanted him to stay as much as Luke wanted him to stay. Han first saw it in her laughing eyes, in her wide open smile as she threw her arms around him when he and Luke returned from destroying the Death Star.

_I knew there was more to you than money._

Han closed his eyes. Did she really? He gave Leia no reason to believe anything good about him. But like Luke, Leia managed to see through Han's prickly exterior and find redeemable qualities in him. Han certainly didn't think of himself as a good man or a man with morals. The worldly princess who lived in the slimy arena of politics knew how the galaxy worked despite her idealism. So her unadulterated acceptance of him didn't make sense. She should know better. But her large brown eyes always looked upon him with trust even if they harbored her anger. She and Luke trusted him without question. When did he become a trustworthy guy?

Maybe when Luke and Leia befriended him. Han had never been offered a friendship that was not based on mutual needs or strings attached. Chewie became the most important being in his life, but Chewie's friendship began out of a life debt. Han would love to brush off Luke's and Leia's unconditional friendship as a life debt. After all, how many times had he rescued (or failed) the two over the last three years? But Luke and Leia risked their lives for his on more than one occasion. Neither would think twice about helping him out, and neither would ever expect anything in return. Han never even believed that such relationships could exist between humans. But here he was with two friends who made him want to be that trustworthy guy they believed in. Perhaps he always was and it was Luke and Leia who reminded him of who he once was.

Yeah, the job he accepted the last time he was on Tatooine paid him well beyond credits, but it cost more than Han could pay. He lost Luke. And Leia…

Han opened his eyes. He slid down the wall until his backside came in close enough contact to the sandy ground to leave a thin residue of dust on his pants. His hazel eyes, red-rimmed and watery, stared at the tips of his boots. They were covered with a fine layer of dust just like Leia was…

He rubbed his face with the back of his sleeve as if he could wipe everything that brought him to this place away. But he couldn't. Nothing could be erased. Nothing could be taken back. Nothing could be fixed. Han sighed. The air in his lungs slowly deflate like a pinched off balloon. He raised his head and looked around the earthy patio littered with scorch marks. The aged burnt craters in the walls and ground reflected how he felt inside. Like this old moisture farm, Han knew no one could repair the damage.

Han closed his eyes against the onslaught of more tears. _Why?_ That was the question normally asked in situations such as these. But there were too many answers to such a simple inquiry when it came to the princess. Han purposely bumped his head against the sand structure, loosening particles that landed on his shoulders and clung to his hair. No, _why_ would not suffice. A more appropriate question would be, _why now?_ Why did she choose now to give up? Why would she do that to him?

_Protection from herself she needs. Do it alone she can't._

Han stood up as he heard Chewbacca approaching. The Wookie grunted and handed him a shallow tub of water and washcloth and continued on to the maintenance garage. Han kept his eyes on the rippling water, watching his quivering reflection stretch and shrink. He dug and pulled at the memories in his mind as he tried to find the exact moment he let her down. Maybe that old Jedi was right; he should have stayed with Leia on Sullust and let Lando and Tendra free Chewie. They probably would have done a better job without him. But Lando and Tendra couldn't outwit Vader. And Han wouldn't let his friends face Vader alone.

And Darth Vader knew that just as Vader knew Leia would be wherever Han was. _Do this alone she can't._ Han left her alone.

Han put down the tub and the water sloshed onto the stout table next to the bed. He took measured breaths before he forced himself to face the princess' lifeless form and shuddered. A light layer of dust clung to her clothes and skin. The suns had kissed her cheeks and the tip of her nose, leaving a youthful pink in its wake. Leia's peaceful face contradicted the hell she was trapped in. Why wasn't her expression angry or defiant? Han looked at the domed wall above her head. Did she think this was the solution that would take away her pain? _Why now?_

The single blaster shot that woke him from sleep still rang in his ears as if the blaster was pressed against his temple and not hers. His heart thumped against his ribcage when he heard that single shot echo off the canyon walls and found Leia missing from their bed. What followed remained a blur: boots, blaster, a droid's sensors, and Chewie. Han's head stopped spinning the moment they found her, but that did nothing to clear it. All that filled his mind was the image of Leia lying lifeless body twisted and pale. He found himself kneeling beside her, afraid to touch her but wanting nothing more than to gather her up in his arms.

Han sunk into the edge of the bed next to Leia, rested his elbows on his knees, covered his face with his hands, and allowed his tears to freely flow. She laid there unmoving as if she were blissfully sleeping and would wake any moment. Both of her hands rested at her side on top of the sheet Chewie covered her with, her fingers balled into fists. Those little hands, so strong… It took some effort to uncurl her fingers when he removed the blaster from her right hand. Her skin was cool despite the growing heat warming the earth around her.

Han once again wiped his sleeve across his face to erase any evidence of his grief. He twisted toward the tub of water and found the courage to face Leia. He reached for the washcloth and wrung it out but could do nothing more than gaze upon her peaceful face.

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Darth Vader stood, light saber activated and hanging by his side, on a small cliff that overlooked a circle of rudimentary tents. A few Bantha mulled around on the far side of the settlement as cloth-wrapped beings went about their daily duties. Vader watched intently, aware of the fact he was being watched as well. The Tuskan Raiders were the most feared and most dangerous beings on Tatooine, and they earned that reputation ten-fold. But Vader knew what they feared, which made him the one to be approached with caution.

As he watched the mysterious humanoids prepare their meals and care for their children, his thoughts traveled to his mother who died at their hands and to that fateful night his rage blinded him while he single-handedly killed the entire tribe that was responsible.

_You're not all powerful._

_I should be._

Princess Leia, _his only living offspring,_ would rather die than join him. He bristled from her rejection, but he did give her plenty of reasons to find her own flesh and blood repulsive. And Darth Vader had every intention to kill her himself if she did not accept his offer. He had no choice. The child was not only a danger to the Emperor. She had the potential to kill him, and he had no doubt that she would if given the chance.

So why didn't he kill her right there and then before she turned her blaster against herself? The Sith Lord's eyes caught on a young Tuskan Raider that ran toward a female who held her arms wide. How many times had his own mother opened her arms to him offering a unique comfort only a mother could provide? Vader's turned his eyes away. Too many times to count. What if he stayed on Tatooine instead of running off with those Jedi? Would she still be alive? Would he have been content living his life as a slave?

But there would be no Padme. And even though she betrayed him, she bore him two children. Vader's fingers tightened around the hilt of his saber. She, with the help of Obi Wan and Bail Organa, turned his own flesh and blood against him. He rubbed his lips together. He didn't fault his daughter for her contempt; she was raised by a traitor in the political world. But Luke, would his heart have been more open to him? Growing up on this hellish planet away from the debauchery of politics and deception, his son wouldn't have witnessed or experienced firsthand Vader's unsavory but necessary deeds.

Darth Vader dragged the tip of his light saber across the dry earth. His son was dead. He would never know.

And his daughter would rather die than help him bring justice to the same galaxy she fought to save. The Sith Lord did not feel any love for her. She was only a powerful tool to be used to achieve his goal of overthrowing the Emperor and nothing more. She was just a reminder of his loved-ones betrayal, and turning her against the very people who were responsible for her misguided beliefs would be the ultimate revenge. Vader also couldn't deny the pleasure he found in the challenge the princess presented to him. Destroying her belief in the Rebel Alliance would be the greatest goal of his life.

Perhaps that was why he didn't follow through on his threat and kill her right there. Logically, eliminating that threat before situation grew into something he could no longer control would have been the wisest choice. He could feel the Emperor breathing down his neck as the despot conducted his own search for the princess. His daughter's Force presence still remained spotty, but she was becoming easier to sense. Vader was certain that Palpatine did not know where Leia was, but the former Chancellor was cunning and he always got what he wanted. The death of his daughter would ensure his Emperor did not succeed in his quest, and his daughter's contempt wouldn't be used against him.

So why didn't he kill the princess himself? Was the challenge to turn her so great of a thrill that he couldn't pass it up? That had to be it. There could be no other reason. But Darth Vader's mind began to twist and turn and it flirted with answers he would rather acknowledge. _She's nothing more than a weapon._ Just as he was.

Darth Vader trembled in rage, rage that was pointed at the princess, planted by the Emperor, and nurtured by him. With nothing more than pure fury in his head, the dark lord descended down the cliff and headed toward the rag-swaddled humanoids that were oblivious to the evil coming their way.

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"He stopped me," Leia whispered as she fought to open her eyes. She narrowed her eyes between blinks as she searched out the figure seated just out of arm's length. "Han?"

She closed her eyes and opened them again in hopes to clear her fuzzy vision. The slouched figure wrung the washcloth in his hand as tight as it would twist but didn't acknowledge Leia's presence. Her heavy eyelids slid closed despite her efforts to wake from this dream. Vader, Han's lack of response, it had to be a dream. She willed her right arm to touch her forehead and found it to be moist. Not good. If she could physically feel sensations in her dream, it only meant that the dream would get worse.

Leia inhaled and sat up. Immediately, a piercing pain reverberated through her head and she let out a gut-wrenching moan. She covered her eyes with her hand, "Aw…I have the worst headache in the galaxy."

"That's what happens when you try to blow your brains out with a blaster." Han's contemptuous tone cut through her, and the pain he inflicted made her headache seem like an irritating tickle.

The princess slowly lowered her body back on to the bed and tentatively touched her right temple. "Ow."

"It wasn't a dream," Leia muttered as her hand carefully explored the bandage on her right temple. The dressing was small compared to the intense pain it caused.

Han looked at her. "No. It wasn't."

"He stopped me," she whispered. "He threatened to kill me, but…why would he stop me?"

"Who?"

"Vader."

"Great," Han rolled his eyes. "Remind me to thank him next time we see him."

Leia's brow lowered. "I…I thought it all was a dream."

Han pressed his lips together as he studied her. Maybe it was. Suicide wasn't something Leia would do. She was a fighter. And she was alone outside the homestead's entrance when they found her. Her actions could have been the product of a night terror. There were times he caught her walking in her sleep.

"Must've been some dream," Han shrugged, his tone softened.

Then Leia uncurled her left fist and bit her lip. Han watched a flimsy fall from her hand. He picked it up and his mouth fell open. Could Vader have retrieved it and given it to Leia some time when he tortured her?

"Where did this come from?" _Please say he gave it to you and you somehow managed to keep it all this time._

"It…it was in the pocket of your parka," Leia's brow creased. "I was wearing your coat."

Han's hazel eyes lifted. "Yeah, but that was on the Star Destroyer."

Leia shook her head then immediately regretted it. She pressed her hand against her forehead, "He gave it back to me."

"Vader?" Han asked and she carefully nodded. He twisted his tongue in his mouth before asking, "When?"

"Out there," she pointed in the direction of the moisture farm's domed entrance. "Where is it?"

"Leia," Han inhaled and exhaled. "You didn't have the parka. Just…just the blaster."

"But I was wearing it," she released her hand from her forehead. Maybe it was a dream? Maybe all this was a dream?

"Not when we found you."

Leia stared at the note Han still held. The note alone was proof enough that Vader's presence was a reality.

"Vader knows where we are," she surmised.

"Yeah," Han looked away. "We figured that out already. Chewie and Artoo are working to get an old speeder running."

"So you saw him when you found me?"

"No. Just you."

"Then how do you know?"

Han shook his head, "That's not important right now." He then ran a finger along her cheek, "Why…why'd you do it?"

Leia's large brown guilt-filled eyes gazed up at him, cracking Han's heart. Did he truly want to know? That didn't matter. He had to know no matter how painful her answer might be.

"I…" she sighed, "I just wanted to put an end to all this."

"And killing yourself would do this?" His voice shivered with hurt and ire.

Leia reached out and captured his reluctant hand. "You and Chewie…you won't be left alone until… I can't let you suffer because of me."

Han clenched his teeth, "So you did it for me."

The princess squeezed Han's hand, "Yes, but not just for you."

Han looked away, "For yourself?"

"No," her face pinched before relaxing. "Everyone, Vader, the High Command, what they want of me…what they want to use me for…" Leia sighed and closed her eyes as her headache worsened, "I don't know. I just get…a feeling that something…" she opened her eyes and pulled on his hand until he looked at her. "I'm not an assassin. I can't…no matter how evil. I…I feel like something terrible may come of it." She laced her finger with his. "But everyone is so blinded by eliminating the Emperor, and they'll use any means possible… you, Chewie. This won't end until…until one side gets what they want, and I'm bound to break at some point."

Leia licked her lips as her large brown eyes pleaded for him to understand her, "I wish I could convince them that I'm the wrong person to assassinate the Emperor. They won't listen."

_Much anger in this child there is. Vulnerable to Vader and the Emperor she is._

Han frowned, "I know one person who will." Would the High Command listen to the aged Jedi Master?

Leia released Han's hand and retrieved the flimsy Han dropped onto the bed. "Vader stopped me." She rubbed her face with the back of her hand. "He will kill me if I don't bow to his will. So why…?"

Han smoothed her cheek with his thumb, "I don't care why. I'm just glad he did."

"I'm sorry," she bit her lip.

Han favored her with a weary smile, "You have nothin' to be sorry for."

"If you asked me to run away with you," Leia offered him the same smile, "I wouldn't say no."

Han leaned over and kissed her lips. He wanted nothing more that to whisk her away from all this turmoil. But he…they both knew that running away would solve none of their problems.


	17. Chapter 17

CHAPTER 17:

Princess Leia ran her finger along the smooth two-dimensional capture as she stared at the image upon it. The blonde-haired boy with a stretched out toothy smile gazed back at her, his large blue eyes penetrating her very soul. His tanned skin framed by the sandy dune made Tatooine look like an elite vacation spot instead of the desolate reality that it was. Such tan skin, Leia touched the boy's cheek, such a sharp contrast to his coloring when she last saw him.

"Luke." She breathed.

Leia blinked away the prickle of tears. Did Luke ever think he would leave Tatooine and become a rebel hero, a legend and inspiration for others? Did he ever think that when he left the warm sands of Tatooine behind, he would die on a cold planet of ice?

"Hey," Han approached her from behind. "We better…"

Leia nodded but kept her attention on the capture. Han had found a drawer full of the flimsy-like captures in the maintenance garage when he was looking for some tools to use on the antiquated speeder. That was a day and a half ago, so the initial gut-wrenching shock of looking into Luke's laughing eyes had withered into a pressing sense of emptiness inside him. But Leia was seeing them for the first time, and that empty hole inside him widened to accommodate her pain. Han ran his fingers through her hair.

He could have kept those captures from her. Maybe he should have. Leia hadn't fully recovered from her "accident" with a blaster and had acquired so many devastating blows in such a short time that he feared one more heartache would shatter her to pieces. And the last thing he wanted was to see her break, to witness the agony etched into her face like he knew it was now. Han kept his sad hazel eyes on the crown of her head, raking his fingers through her hair at a steady, rhythmic pace.

"This…" the princess slightly shook her head, "could have been me."

Han's fingers froze. It's not like that thought hadn't crossed his mind. He brought a lock of her hair to his lips, "You're skin's too delicate for this place."

"He looks so…so happy," Leia sunk her top teeth into her bottom lip.

"Yeah," his hands slipped around her waist and he rested his head on the top of hers. "You'd ne'er know it, the way Luke talked about this place."

"Heh, yeah," she smiled wistfully. "Guess you don't know what you have until you lose it."

Solo closed his eyes and slowly inhaled. "Luke was much happier with what he gained when he left this place."

With a soft "plaft", a single tear landed on Luke's nose. Leia's thumb hurried itself over the spot and wiped at the glossy surface until her skin had absorbed the tear. Han's hands moved to her shoulders and she complacently allowed him to turn her around. She kept her eyes on the capture, unwilling to acknowledge her grief and hoping Han would do the same. But the days of overlooking each other's burdens ended when they were captured by Darth Vader and the hardened smuggler would not leave her to deal with her own pain even if she wished it. Han placed his index finger underneath her chin and gently tipped her face up.

"I hope so," Leia choked, and he brushed away a second tear that slid down her cheek. Her bottom lip quivered and she forced a smile, "You made the right choice."

"Huh?" Han's face screwed into a question mark.

"Showing these to me," Leia's brow lowered and she winced in pain. Her hand went to the bandage at her temple.

Han looked away. Her loose-flowing hair hid the external signs of her wound, but that did little to erase what could have happened, or who she claimed prevented it. He ran a hand through his hair and chewed the inside of his cheek. "I'm not…"

Leia's eyes found their way back to the capture of Luke, "I don't understand."

Han shifted his weight, "What?"

She tipped her face up to him, "Skywalker. Tatooine. I'm surprised Vader didn't find Luke sooner."

He shrugged and looked over to Chewbacca who struggled to load Artoo into the clunky vehicle. Leia, lost in her own musings, could only see the flimsy capture in her hand and what swirled inside her head.

"Maybe he wasn't lookin'." Han offered.

"Maybe," she chewed on her bottom lip. "Luke wasn't that hard to find. And Vader found him, or almost found him."

"Yeah?"

"I was right under his nose," Leia's brow furrowed, inciting another wave of pain, "from the time that I was a child. He interrogated me on the Death Star. He never even suspected…he didn't even know he had…had a daughter." She paused and expelled an exasperated sigh, "How could he not sense it?"

Han raised an eyebrow, "You wanted him to find you?"

Her eyes widened and retracted, "Of course not!"

He placed his hands on her shoulders and slid them down to her elbows, "I don't think all this speculation is good right now." _Or ever._ "We gotta get movin'."

Leia nodded as her eyes slipped back to Luke's glowing face. "They didn't hide Luke as well as they did me."

Han looked over his shoulder. Chewie had finished loading Artoo into the vehicle and was eyeing Han. Han waved a hand at him before he returned his attention to Leia. "Come on. We gotta go."

But Leia didn't seem to hear him. "Why would they do that?"

"What?"

"They didn't even change his last name. Why didn't they make him disappear like they did me?"

"I dunno," Han shoved his hands into his back pockets as he fought to contain his frustration. He should probably just grab her hand and pull her to the speeder. But the sad expression on her face, the confusion in her eyes…he couldn't bring himself to break her away from her pondering. She needed some time to digest these captures of Luke and where she fit into all of this. He just hoped that time wouldn't leave them vulnerable to an Imperial attack.

Han studied the capture and rolled his lips between his teeth, "Maybe they wanted Vader to find Luke."

"Seems like it…but why?"

"That, I don't know," he took the capture out of her hand and placed it on the workbench beside her. "We gotta get goin'."

Han pivoted on his heel and headed toward the yellow-chipped vehicle. Leia pressed her lips together, picked up the capture, and tucked it into her combat boot before she followed Han.

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Han Solo used his sleeve to wipe off the sweat that collected on his forehead. He turned the heavy steering wheel to the right and then made a sharp left to avoid a large boulder jutting out of the dusty land. The clunky dented vehicle lacked the hover system of more modern speeders. Instead, the body of the vehicle had road wheels and tracks similar to a Jawa's Sandcrawler which made navigating the unpredictable terrain easier. It rattled the passengers but was effective. And this antiquated vehicle was definitely up-graded and so far reliable. Han touched his front top teeth to his bottom ones, wondering if Luke was the one who did the work on this piece of junk but not wanting to dwell on it.

Solo glanced at his partner who hung his hairy head out of the open window, which was a feat in itself since the windows pushed out just to a sixty degree angle. "Don't think anyone thinks of Wookies when they make these things."

Chewie grunted and pushed at the window until it broke off and bounced on the rugged ground. Han shook his head. "Luckily, nobody's expectin' us to return this clunker."

The moment the words slipped out of his mouth, Han cringed. He slowed the vehicle as he turned his head to check on Leia. She leaned against the sturdy door, knees pulled to her chest and arms wrapped loosely around her legs, while she stared out the dirt encrusted window. She seemed unaffected by the oppressive heat.

"Hey, Sweetheart," Han looked at her in the review mirror and picked up some speed. "You still with us?"

"Huh?"

Han opened his mouth but thought otherwise. Asking her if she was okay was an idiotic question. None of them were okay. And that probably would never change. "Is it hot back there?"

"No. Well, yeah, but it's tolerable."

"See Chewie?" Han tapped his co-pilot on the shoulder before swerving around a jagged boulder. "This baby's good enough for royalty."

Chewie grumbled and Han laughed.

"Where are we going?" Leia cranked her head around Han's seat.

"Dead Bantha Gulch," Han lifted his eyes to the rearview mirror to gauge her reaction.

"Hhmm," her continence betrayed no emotion. "Sounds a little depressing."

"Artoo and Chewie thought it would be the best place. The ravine has Bantha bones and terrain formations that will provide cover, and it's large enough to land a couple o' freighters."

Chewbacca twisted his head to look at her as he whorfled and growled.

Leia's countenance pinched, "What about the _Falcon_?"

"Whadda bout it?"

"Lando said Artoo made sure it was clean." The stout droid next to her beeped in agreement.

Chewie let out a soft moan and squeezed his head through the window again.

"And it's docked in Mos Eisley," Han hit a large rocked and jarred the occupants of the heavy terrain vehicle. "Crawlin' with storm troopers, remember?"

Leia tipped her head to the right, "When has that ever stopped you?"

"Not worth the risk." Han kept his eyes glued to the terrain in front of him, his fingers tightening their grip on the steering wheel.

"_Not worth the risk_?" the princess' mouth dropped open. "But you love that ship."

Han looked over at Chewie who pulled his head back into the old speeder and now scrutinized his best friend. "Turns out there're some things I love more."

Chewbacca's lips pulled back and exposed his sharp incisors, a Wookie's attempt at a human smile. Leia shrank inside herself. Han had sacrificed so much for her; what had she sacrificed for him? She rested her chin on her knees as her mind churned, looking for something, anything that she sacrificed for him, but she couldn't think of one thing. Her thoughts returned to all his sacrifices and she swallowed down the lump in her throat. _He loves me. After all…he still loves me._

Leia buried her face in the pocket her knees created to hide the moisture that had collected in her eyes. Her love for him was so deep that sometimes it stole her breath away and caused her to tremble. She never loved anyone as much as she loved Han. But she figured Han's feelings would have dulled or changed. She wouldn't blame him if that happened. After everything that had transpired, her own opinion of herself had changed in a way that wasn't very positive.

_What have I done for him?_

"We're here," Han jumped out of the vehicle the moment it stopped and opened the door for Leia. His hazel eyes narrowed against the bright sun as he scanned the ravine.

Leia dropped her feet onto the running board and slid her way off the seat. Chewie wrestled with the door and front passenger seat as he struggled to free Artoo from the tight constraints of the back seat. Artoo grumbled and squealed, but the irritated Wookie ignored his protests.

"Lando should've been here already," Han rested one hand on his holster and shielded his eyes with the other.

The princess clasped her hands behind her back, squeezing them tight together. A tingling numbness aggravated her chest. Something wasn't right, and she wanted to tell Han, but whatever wasn't right couldn't be fixed, and she doubted he wanted to hear it.

Solo pulled out the commlink, "Lando?" His hail was answered with static. He tried two more times only to get the same response. He turned to Leia, "The canyon must be interfering with reception."

The princess nodded and forced a small, toothless smile.

Han smoothed her hair and returned a similar smile, "Don't worry. Lando won't let us down."

"I don't doubt that," she looked away.

R2-D-2's head swiveled around and his electronic voice beeped and whistled at a rapid pace. His companions stared at the droid, each hoping that whatever the astromech droid was trying to communicate was good news, but knowing better not to get their hopes up.

"Ne'er thought I'd miss Goldenrod," Han quipped.

The ground began to rumble and a dry heat swept over them. Han's mouth dropped open and his body was rendered motionless as if he was frozen in carbonite. Hovering above the ravine was his beloved ship looking better than when he last saw it. _Could it be?_ Perhaps things were going to start going his way.

"Leave it to Lando," Han grinned and rested his hands on his belt.

Leia moved to stand next to him and twisted her fingers into the cuff of his sleeve. Her knees weakened and she broke out into a cold sweat. Chewbacca grunted and approached Leia.

"Yeah, they did," Leia stared at the familiar ship. "But they're Imperials. They have more than enough credits and resources to salvage any ship. And don't forget the free labor."

Han's smile stretched into the widest smile Leia had ever seen. "Lando must've stolen the _Falcon_ from the Imps. That explains why we couldn't contact 'im on the commlink."

Leia tightened her grip on Han's sleeve. "What about the _Lady Luck_?" Chewie grumbled.

Han couldn't peel his eyes off the Corellian freighter and expelled a sigh of relief as it touched the ground. "Tendra probably took it. She could be off-planet by now."

The princess looked up at the tall Wookie. Chewie grunted and she narrowed her eyes on him. She mouthed the word, "Fine."

"I—_we_ think Tendra wouldn't leave without Lando."

Han pursed his lips and filled his cheeks with air. He knew Leia and Chewie were right, but he didn't want them to be. The ramp of the _Falcon_ lowered and the rebels held their breaths and waited.

"Han…" she tugged on his sleeve. "I think we should take cover."

A pair of wobbly golden feet descended down the ramp and the gold droid held his hands in the air, "Please don't be angry with me! I had no choice."

Chewbacca dragged Han behind a large Bantha horn while Leia and Artoo took cover behind the vehicle. All eyes widened as black boots surrounded by the shifting swirl of a cape clanked down the ramp. Darth Vader dunked his head before he cleared the tight space. He stood there, fists on hips, and stared in the direction of the hidden rebels. Leia glanced over at Han whose eye held a twinkle of hope. She shook her head but could not find her voice.

"Lando," he whispered. Han brandished the commlink and pressed and depressed the button, trying to hail his friend.

Chewbacca finally placed his hand on the commlink and shook his head. Han closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against the sun-dried bone. Leia wrapped one arm around her chest, hooking her hand on her shoulder, and returned her attention to their menacing enemy. Her nerves tingled and she clenched her teeth together. If Vader was the only thing standing between her and the _Falcon_, then Vader had to be eliminated. The princess' hand felt to her hips then looked down.

"Sith!" She shot an angry look at Han who didn't notice. "Han," she hissed. "Throw me the light saber."

Han frowned at her before he tossed her a blaster. She dropped to her stomach and stretched out her hand. Han's own hand had dropped to the saber that began to rattle against his buckle.

"Will you give it to me?" Leia growled.

"Not a good idea, Leia."

"What good is a blaster against a light saber?" She bit her lip the moment she realized she had just quoted Vader. Maybe she didn't need the ancient weapon. Leia grimaced. She'd feel better having it. She stretched her hand again and tried to pull the saber off of Han's belt.

"Leia!" Han's face turned red as he rolled on top of the light saber. He couldn't believe her strength and for a moment he contemplated letting her have it. But his fear of having to watch another duel between her and Vader outweighed that idea. Her biological father may have prevented her from committing suicide, but Han had no doubt that Vader would keep true to his words and kill her if he had to.

"Lord Vader isn't alone!" Threepio's high pitched voice bounced off the walls of the ravine.

The Sith Lord growled and slammed his fist into the droid's chest. Threepio smashed against the leg of the ramp and broke into three pieces. Leia squeezed her eyes shut. _He's a droid. He can be put back together._ But Chewie and Han couldn't. The princess opened her eyes and her heart sank as a flood of stormtroopers positioned themselves around Han's beloved ship.

Chewbacca heaved the crossbow he found in Jabba's palace over his shoulder and wiggled himself into a better position. Han and Leia did the same.

"You are obviously outnumbered," Darth Vader's voice betrayed a hint of a smile underneath his mask. "It would be wise to drop your weapons and surrender."

"Since when has being outnumbered stop us before?" Han yelled and shot a lop-sided grin in Leia's direction. She rolled her eyes but smiled.

"Your Highness," the Sith Lord's tone lost all traces of his pleasure. "You are the only one who can determine the fate of your friends."

"From where I'm standing," Han yelled, "you're gonna choose all of our fates. That is, unless we kick your ass." Chewie's brow dropped and he slapped Han upside his head.

"No need to antagonize him, flyboy," Leia arched her brow. She then turned her attention to the black figure standing a few meters from the open ramp of the _Falcon_. His wheezy respiration grated against her nerves and overshadowed the sound of white armor coming in contact with the hard ground and clattering rocks forced loose by clumsy boots.

Leia's respiration fell in time with Vader's as she contemplated her choices. The number of stormtroopers looked to be less than twenty, and Han was right. They had survived worse odds. But they had a place to run and a ship to escape in. Stormtroopers had stood between them and the _Falcon_ on the Death Star, but if General Kenobi didn't distract the stormtroopers and Imperials by sacrificing his life, their escape would have been foiled.

_What sacrifices have I made for Han?_

"What is your decision, Princess?" Darth Vader paused, waiting for an answer that never came. "Captain Solo can have his ship back, and he and the Wookie can go back to their lives of crime. I can promise that the Empire will overlook their activities for a brief amount of time. All you have to do is come with me and let me train you in the ways of the Force."

Leia's large brown eyes searched out Han's. He leaned his blaster against the Bantha tusk and shook his head, "I won't let you."

"You can't stop me."

Han peered over the dry bone, "why would we trust ya'?"

"You don't have much of a choice."

"Exactly my point!"

Darth Vader sighed and focused his reddish-black orbs on the dusty earth below him. He had forgotten how dirty his home world was. He had also forgotten the thrill of pod-racing and the merriment of conspiring with his friends. _What happened to them?_ And then there was the pleasure and satisfaction of fixing pod-racers or speeders and constructing droids… Vader turned and gazed upon the broken droid, the droid _he_ built, the one of which he was the proudest.

And he had just destroyed it. Darth Vader looked at the speeder the princess hid behind. He created her. Would she force him to destroy her too?

"Your Highness," he called out, his tone heavy. "You belong to me. You know this to be true." Vader fingered his light saber. "There is no need for bloodshed today."

Han watched Leia. She remained crouched behind the clunky vehicle balanced on the heel and toes of her boots. The girl rested her head against her arm she pressed against the side of the speeder and her eyes stared at nothing he could see.

"Leia," he hissed but she didn't look at him. "Leia!"

The princess slowly turned her head and met his eyes. Han sucked in a breath, "You want to be like 'im? Cos that's what's gonna happen."

She blinked her eyes and her mouth opened and closed.

"Your Highness?"

"You know that's what he wants," Han scooted a little closer to her while remaining hidden behind the thick bone.

Leia dropped her large brown eyes as she pondered Han's words and possible resolutions for their current predicament. Then she turned her face up to him, a look of helplessness paled her mien, "His blood courses through my veins. What if I'm only prolonging the inevitable? If I can save you…"

Solo's hazel eyes widened and retracted, "So did Luke. You think he'd end up like that monster?" Leia flinched as if he slapped her. He softened his tone, "No, and I _know_ you, yer heart. There's no way. Not unless you let him."

She favored him with a wistful smile. "I hope you're right. But I can give you the time you need to escape."

"Nu-uh," Han protested but Leia started to stand up.

Chewbacca's head whipped between the princess and the Sith Lord and sensed Han's utter horror. Chewie howled and began firing his crossbow, first aiming at Darth Vader who blocked the bolt with his hand and then at the stormtroopers who boldly stepped out from their cover to protect their Sith Lord.

Chewie's action prompted Han to follow suit. He picked off the stormtroopers firing from higher up positions and focusing on the ones who moved toward their cover point. Leia fired at those who bravely advanced as they tried to impress their superior or avoid punishment despite the risk of death.

"Artoo," Leia addressed him between firing shots. "Get to the _Falcon_ and make sure it's clean. And collect Threepio if you can." She scrunched down and fiddled with a blue trapezoid panel on the droids cylinder body, "I think Vader's telling the truth." The remote communicator popped out as Artoo interrupted her with a series of beeps and blops. "I don't know. I just get this feeling," she guessed that answered the droid's assumed question. If not, it was something she felt she had to say out loud. "Be careful. You're our only hope."

The stout droid's head completed two full rotations before he headed out into the battlefield. Leia watched him maneuver his way between blaster shots finding cover here and there. She smiled to herself. Artoo made it look so easy… She returned her attention to Vader and rested her blaster on the hood of the vehicle. The Dark Lord's masked orbs glared in her direction, and she felt as if her father could see right through the speeder and into her own eyes. She shook her head and returned to firing her weapon.

Despite the fact that the rebels managed to pick of a fair amount of stormtroopers, they were fighting a losing battle. The princess bit her lip and looked at Han and Chewie. Chewie's expression was hard to read, but it was plain as day that Han harbored some revelry underneath the fear in his eyes. Her chest felt heavy as if one of the large boulders in the ravine lain upon her. _I can't let them die._

Leia jumped as the storm troopers' laser bolts rocked the speeder she hid behind. Their rifles shot more forceful blasts and began to rip through the speeder.

"Sith!" Stormtroopers weren't as stupid as she thought.

"Leia," Han shouted. "Get over here! I'll cover you."

The princess agilely leaped to her feet and ran as fast as she could toward Han and Chewie while blindly squeezing the trigger of her blaster in the general direction of the stormtroopers. She dove behind the Bantha tusk, sliding into Han. Without letting up on the troopers, he wrapped his free arm around Leia and pulled her to her knees. Each aimed their weapons in different directions, but it was obvious to all of them that their close proximity left them more vulnerable to their enemy.

Leia stole a glance at Han and found him solely focused on the task at hand. Then her eyes scanned the stormtroopers' formation. They had the advantage. She pressed her lips together and glanced at the center of the conflict. Darth Vader's ire traveled in waves in her direction as if he was purposely making his feelings known. The heat of it soaked through Leia's skin, igniting her own contempt. Vader had every intention to kill Han and Chewie by any means possible as long as she was around to witness it. He wanted to take everyone she loved from her to punish her for rejecting him.

The princess trembled as she tried to control her anger. Han and Chewie needed her to focus on eliminating as many stormtroopers as they could. They had managed to pick off almost a fifth of the troops, but their odds of surviving were not even worth figuring.

_Leia._

She shook her head. She closed one eye and took down another stormtrooper.

_Daughter._

The princess shivered. Darth Vader had never penetrated her mind before. The other voices she heard in the past…no, they weren't Vader. But it was him now.

_You know you belong to me. You know it is your destiny to follow in my footsteps._

Leia gritted her teeth and started firing at Vader though it did her no good.

_You know it is the only way to save your friends, to save the man you love._

Her shots stuttered as she shook her head.

"You okay?" Han spared a glance at her.

"Sure, being outnumbered by stormtroopers is an everyday occurrence in our lives."

Han grinned, "More often than not."

Leia smiled at him but it lacked any hope.

_What sacrifices have you made for him?_

A biting chill ran up her spine. How did Vader…? Her rage burned her nerves and curled her toes. Leia looked at Han's belt and inhaled until her lungs were filled to their capacity.

"You know I love you, Han," she raised her large brown eyes to his.

Han's brow furrowed, "We're not finished yet, Sweetheart."

Leia solemnly nodded, "I know." With that she yanked her light saber from his belt and ignited it. "I'm going to end this once and for all!"

Princess Leia tossed Artoo's commlink to Han, jumped to her feet, and ran straight into the crossfire before he could stop her. Han grunted and Chewie moaned. The only way they could help her was to take the stormtroopers attention away from her. Han looked into his best friend's steely blue eyes and the Wookie shrugged. Solo charged across the wide ravine and found cover in a small cavern that was closer to Leia. Chewie fired his crossbow, picking off the troopers that shot at Han. Once Han found cover, Chewie then headed in the opposite direction, shooting down those stormtroopers blocking his path and smashing the unfortunate troopers too stupid to run.

Darth Vader failed to contain his wide grin as he ignited his light saber and walked toward the girl. Princess Leia's eyes remained glued on him as she spun and twisted her light saber, blocking every fatal laser blast that came her way. Despite the chaos and danger around her, her fury remained precisely directed at him. Vader was both pleased and proud of her instinctive ability to tune out everything around her and concentrate her rage on him alone. His blood, indeed, ran through her veins.

Leia held her saber over her head as she charged straight for her archenemy. Darth Vader held his weapon by his side and waited until she was in striking distance. Using just one hand he whipped his blade up as her blade came down on him. The force of his defensive move sent the princess flying. She landed hard on her backside and tried to recover her breath.

But the Sith Lord wasn't about to give her a respite. Dust clouds puffed from his hard footsteps, drawing Leia's attention to the immense size of his boots. It was at that precise moment that she realized she was going to die. Leia swallowed down her regrets and waited for Darth Vader's red blade to slice the life out of her. She smiled up at him, _You lose, _Father.

"NO! Leia!"

Han's panicked scream barely cancelled out Chewie's guttural howl and the incessant blaster fire, but his words slammed against Leia's chest. She saw her lifeless body lying in the middle of the battlefield, a blissful smile and vacant eyes pointed at her murderer. The dark figure momentarily stared back at her before his cape stirred the dust around them. And the intense primal anguish radiating from the Dark Lord shifted from her, roved over the Gulch, and pinpointed his new target...

The princess' eyes widened in horror, "No!"

Leia slashed her blade across her body, successfully foiling Darth Vader's would-be fatal strike, and she rolled herself in the same direction that her blue blade traveled until she found her feet. She was _not_ going to let Han suffer at the hands of her monstrous father ever again. She caught the smuggler in her peripheral vision as she launched her own attack. Leia's dark eyes bore into the Sith Lord's chest plate while she slashed and cut and twisted her light saber. Her swift moves forced Vader to wield his weapon with both hands and take up a defensive stance.

As the blue blade crackled and sizzled against the red, the blaster crossfire petered off to a small drizzle. Darth Vader and Princess Leia danced around each other, advancing and withdrawing into the middle of the Gulch. Some troopers ceased firing to avoid hitting their superior while others were just in awe of the speed and agility of which the small girl and clunky beast moved.

Han raised his head above the rock that shielded him from Imperial fire. He rested his blaster against the rock and searched out his best friend's position. Chewie held his crossbow ready and waiting for the perfect shot. Han ran his finger over the scar on his chin and glanced at the _Falcon._ With the lightshow distracting the Imps, he and Chewbacca could easily make it to the ship. He could possibly use the Ground Buzzer to take out Vader, but Leia's proximity to Vader wouldn't make it easy and he wasn't going to take that risk.

Leia forced Vader to take an evasive move and continued to hold onto the upper hand. Han tapped his fingers against the rock and chewed his bottom lip. He watched the princess wield the light saber as if it was an extension of her being. Han knew she never practiced while they were with the rebels on Sullust, but somehow Leia's skills improved. The blue blade moved with such speed and unpredictability that it seem to have a hypnotic hold over him. Add the eye-searing red blade of Vader's, sparking and cracking as it came in contact with Leia's, and he found himself mesmerized by the beauty of the deadly duel.

Chewie's howl cleared Han's head, and he turned his attention to the _Falcon_. He squinted his eyes to get a better look inside. Was there someone else in there besides the droids? Han looked back at his co-pilot who shrugged. Han lifted Artoo's commlink to his mouth, but lowered it. That droid was impossible to understand. He grunted then depressed the button.

"Artoo, listen," Han blurted out before the droid could make a noise. "One beep yes, two no."

The droid emitted one beep. Han sighed, "_Falcon_ still clean?" One beep. "You alone?" Two beeps. Han was about to ask for more details, but the battle between Vader and the princess took a turn for the worse. "Get to the cockpit. Run pre-flight prep. Don't start the engines."

One beep and the comm went dead. Han shoved the commlink into his breast pocket and slid down the rock formation until he was on level ground with Vader and Leia. Her flushed cheeks betrayed her fatigue and her large eyes were wide with determination, but fear lingered beneath her resolve. He had to do something, but renewing the firefight wouldn't help any of them.

"The moment I strike you down," the mechanical voice chilled Han to the bone. "I will treat Captain Solo to the most painful death you can imagine."

Leia's feet tripped over each other and she found herself sprawled out on her stomach. Her worried eyes shifted to Han, and they pierced his very soul. _Go._ Han found himself looking at the _Falcon_ again, though he wasn't sure how that happened.

Leia pressed her lips together and furrowed her brow when Han failed to use the opportunity to escape that she provided for him and Chewie. Her ire swirled in a ball within her chest and she rolled away from Vader's incoming blade, knocking into his leg and throwing him off balance. Once again, she gracefully floated to her feet and advanced toward her father with a revived strength. Vader was surprised at first, but his initial shock melted into pleasure as he discovered that pure rage controlled her actions.

"You're the only one who will suffer a painful death," she mirthlessly smiled. "You better just pray I show you mercy and not drag it out as long as you've dragged out my pain."

Han cringed. He searched out Chewbacca's steely blue eyes. His best friend crouched down, watching the light saber duel. Solo knew the Wookie wasn't admiring the fight Leia gave Vader. No, Chewie was waiting for the right moment to pounce on Vader. It was a noble act, but it would be in vain. Leia wasn't going to back off and Vader would kill Chewie. And Han feared what Leia would do. He fired his blaster into the air.

Although he successfully captured Chewie's attention, his idiotic move also interested the remaining stormtroopers. The firefight resumed and now Han had to worry that one of those Imps would try to take out Leia. He squeezed off a few rounds when a commotion near the abandoned speeder demanded his attention. A rebel transport hovered above the Gulch low enough for troops to jump off and join the fight while some of their comrades stayed behind to cover them with blaster fire.

Han let out a short "whoop" and saluted General Reeikan as the man commanded the rebels from the small transport.

Only Darth Vader and Princess Leia remained oblivious to the new arrivals. Leia lunged as Vader spun his light saber over her head. She twisted around and stabbed the air above her, catching his blade and forcing it out of his hands. The red blade retracted the moment the silver hilt bounced on the ground, and the Sith Lord's shock reverberated against Leia's ribs. The princess pressed on and Vader was forced to weave and turn out of her saber's reach. A giddy spring bubbled within Leia and inspired her maneuvers. Her father stretched out his hand. She flipped her blade so that it lain horizontal in front of her and she bent her knees to absorb what she knew was coming.

Leia's mouth dropped open as she not only managed to stay on her feet but sent Vader's Force push back at him. The heavy monster tumbled back and rolled to a stop. For a long moment, all life froze and the stench of fear and relief filled the Gulch. Leia held her light saber in the same position she started with, over her head, and went in for the final strike. But the Sith Lord wasn't done yet. He held out his hand and activated his light saber, blocking the princess' blow with little effort. With the agility of someone with less bulk, Darth Vader floated to his feet and resumed his assault on the diminutive princess.

Once the Sith Lord recovered from his unexpected fall, the firefight flared up again. The rebel transport hovered closer as the troops looped through safety harnesses fired down at the stormtroopers. Han looked up and smiled. Now he could focus on the only thing that mattered to him. He searched out his best friend who had managed to move to a prime spot that provided him with a front-row seat to the show Vader and Leia were putting on. Chewie tilted his head and moved his hairy hand, forming various shapes with his long fingers. Han nodded and holstered his blaster.

Chewbacca raised his crossbow, squeezed one eye shut, and waited. Darth Vader stood between the _Falcon_ and the princess and this problem didn't look like it was going away any time soon. Leia continued to fight with every bit of energy her little body had, but it was clear that the Dark Lord's recovery had shaken her. She pivoted as she brought her lethal blade up to foil Vader's own deadly blow then delivered one of her own. Although the Sith Lord evaded the burn of her blue blade, the fury that fueled the princess intensified and she struck without respite.

Darth Vader twisted his blade and swerved his body as he parried Leia's attack. Every time their weapons sizzled in contact, he absorbed her infinite rage. Such power, such energy…such potential, opportunity… It was a shame that she was going to force him to kill her. _I have no choice,_ Vader reasoned. Untrained and uncontrolled, Princess Leia harbored more power than he thought possible. _She's a liability…_

_She is my child_. Vader's strikes hiccupped.

Leia withdrew from the duel and sneered at Darth Vader, "You're going to die knowing that no one despised you more than your own children." She adjusted her stance as she prepared to make her final move, "I'm going to my mother proud."

With perfect precision Chewbacca squeezed off a shot that struck Darth Vader's shoulder armor. Vader hollered and spun around but didn't go down. Han sprinted towards Leia, wrapped his arms around her waist, and tackled her to the ground. He snagged the ancient weapon out of her hand and dragged her behind the closest rock formation.

"Let-me-go!" Leia wiggled under his body. "I can finish this!"

_Protection from herself she needs._

"Han Solo!" she growled. "You don't know what you're doing!"

_Much anger in this child there is._

Han grabbed both of her wrists with one hand, not an easy feat, and now he wondered if he was strong enough to overpower her. "Leia, stop!"

"I can kill him," she twisted around to look into his face. "You know I can. Just let me go!"

Han gazed into her large brown eyes, eyes that were devoid of the love and compassion they usually held. He shrank back in fear of the cold fury that stared back at him.

_Anger leads to the Dark Side._

Dark Side, Light Side, Solo didn't understand any of that, and he gave little credence to the Jedi hocus pocus. Yeah, he'd seen Luke do things Han wouldn't have thought possible, and now Leia as well. But the mythos and rules, or whatever they were? It was just an ancient religion to him as relevant as any other dead religion or extinct culture. Jedi were mysterious figures. They were supposed to protect the Republic, but they failed, obviously. If they hadn't, he wouldn't be lying on top of a princess who happened to be a Sith Lord's daughter. In the end, Jedi were just men, or sentient beings that could be corrupted and killed.

But the look in Leia's eyes…

The rebel transport shifted toward the center of all the action. Han glanced up. The small green Jedi Master glared at him, his wizened brow lowered and he shook his head before disappearing deeper into the transport. Han's shoulders sagged under the weight of Yoda's silent reprimand. He smoothed Leia's hair before he pulled her to her feet and dragged her to the ramp of the _Falcon._

"Chewie!"

Chewbacca broke off his assault. His first shot caught his target off-guard, but Darth Vader refused to be such easy prey after Han whisked the princess away. The engine had already come to life. The Wookie continued to squeeze the trigger of his crossbow as he sprinted toward the _Falcon_. The moment his foot hit the familiar metal of the ramp, he spared a glance at his enemy. Darth Vader stood as still as a statue while the remaining stormtroopers tried to pick off the retreating rebels. Chewie shook his head, grumbling as he stormed up the ramp.

Darth Vader stood in the eye of the storm, everything spinning and screaming around him. A familiar sensation tickled the remaining nerves in his mostly mechanical body, and for a moment, he wondered if his daughter did kill him and nothing he was experiencing was real. But the hitch in his breath, the fatigue in his limbs, and the sweat on his brow confirmed his existence in the here and now.

Darth Vader tipped his heavy head back and focused his eyes on the source of the conversant sensation. Above him, the rebel transport collected its surviving soldiers and disturbed the sandy terrain. The Sith Lord's brow furrowed as he scrutinized the vehicle. The Force presence was strong, as strong as it was twenty-three years ago, but it couldn't be possible. The Emperor defeated the infuriating Jedi Master. _Like Obi Wan defeated me._

The Sith Lord sighed; _You should have made me a Master. This is all your fault._

He waited for an answer, some sort of acknowledgement, but none came. Vader clenched his fists into tight balls and gritted his teeth. He watched the transport gain altitude and leave, the Force presence dimming with the craft. His sensors felt the heat of the _Millennium Falcon_ as it rose toward the sky. His stormtroopers littered the ravine. Not one of them survived. He made a crucial mistake, the same mistake the Jedi made about him: he underestimated his enemy. Vader's muscles trembled with fury. That crucial mistake cost him his prize, and if his feelings served him right, there was an old nemesis who intended to foil his plans.

_You're not going to take her from me again,_ he swore. But didn't that old Jedi just do that?

The dust swirled around Darth Vader but he remained glued where he stood. A flimsy fluttered around him until it plastered itself against his chest plate. He peeled it off himself and lifted it to hinder the glare of the sun. His scarred brow furrowed as he gazed upon the glossy capture of a teenage boy. Those bright blue eyes, the shaggy blonde hair that grazed those eyes, it was like traveling back in time and looking into a mirror. But the boy's eyes twinkled with an innocence he was certain he never possessed, at least not at that age. By the time he had reached his teens, he was a full-fledged Jedi fighting in the Clone Wars.

"My son," he breathed.

What did those eyes hold after three years with the rebels? What would he see if he looked into the boy's eyes and told him that he was his father? He pressed his dry lips together. Thanks to those insurgents and his own daughter who Luke rescued from the Death Star, he would never know the answer to that question.

Darth Vader squeezed his fist, crumbled the capture, and tossed it into the wind. He turned toward the south and hailed his shuttle. Time had run out, and now he must face the Emperor.


	18. Chapter 18

CHAPTER 18:

Princess Leia stretched her leg until her combat boot touched the slick floor of the _Millennium Falcon_. Everything had transpired so fast, retaining no shape or definition and reduced to a mere blur that teased her memory. In the aftermath of the adrenaline stirred to life by their near-death experience, her thoughts loudly echoed inside her head while outside remained as hushed as a Vrigit mouse. Those thoughts bounced and tumbled, making no sense at all. She wanted to scream at them to shut them up, but that would confirm that she was, indeed, broken, and she doubted that her thoughts would listen anyway. Leia released the ladder rung and settled all her weight on the deck.

"Nice shootin'!" Han complemented her accomplishment with a kiss hurriedly placed on the crown of her head.

Leia nodded and smiled, but Han had already begun the short trek down the corridor. She put her hands behind her back and leaned against the bulkhead. Both she and Han were pleasantly surprised to find that Lando and Tendra had not only survived an encounter with Darth Vader, but were kept on the _Falcon_. If Lando hadn't fired up the engines when he did, they most likely wouldn't have escaped. His timing was perfect.

And in the haste of the battle, Han didn't question Lando's presence. Maybe he never would. He just slipped into the pilot seat and Lando hobbled to the medical cabin to tend to Tendra. Lando, scuffed up and pained, hastened pass Leia. She bristled under the chill dissipating from the man, but she didn't have a nanosecond to process his coldness. Before she knew it, Han had grabbed her hand and whisked her away to the gun turrets.

But now that things had quieted and moved as slow as bacta in a tube, Leia had to face the glaring truths her friends seemed not to notice.

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Han's body deflated the moment he crossed the threshold of his cabin. He dropped onto his bed and pressed the heels of his palms into his eye sockets. His heart pounded uncomfortably against his ribs, but as he regained control over his respiration, his automated bodily functions eased into a natural cadence. As the adrenaline dissipated from his system, he dropped his hands from his eyes, letting his arms fall where they may be. Running from bounty hunters, avoiding the crime lords he's indebted to, slipping past Imperials while smuggling illegal contraband, all that was seemed so much easier than how he lived his life now. _How did I get here?_

Han filled his cheeks with air and exhaled with great care before a slight smile formed on his face. He knew she was trouble the moment she ripped the blaster rifle from Luke's hands in the detention center on the Death Star. And at that very moment, trouble became very attractive to him, so much that he followed that small bundle of conundrum into whatever mess she managed to conjure up.

"Oh, Leia," Han sighed.

Instead of following her into a precarious situation, this time Leia pursued him, and Han ended up luring her right into Vader's trap. What made him think he could rescue Chewie, avoid that abomination, and return to Sullust before she had any time to miss him? The right side of his mouth pulled up into a half-smile. Leia would tell him that it was due to his overinflated ego and thick skull. Right now, he would have to agree with her.

Han shook his head and chuckled. If she didn't show up when she did, he would have been Rancor dinner. He'd never admit that to her or anyone else, but he couldn't deny it to himself. How Leia infiltrated Jabba's Palace by herself was beyond comprehension. Chewbacca had a front row seat and stood a head above the crowd, and he never saw her until she neared the middle of the dank den. Solo smiled up at the bulkhead above his bed. Leia's stubborn streak, resourcefully quick thinking, and relentless determination could drive him crazy, but those qualities certainly made her a force to be reckoned with.

_Protection from herself she needs. Need you she does._

Han's silly smile slipped away as the Jedi Master's words interrupted his musings. Death wasn't the worst thing that could happen to Leia.

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"Is there anything I can do for you?" Leia gripped the doorjamb of the medical cabin and winced when she saw Tendra's bruised and lacerated body lying on the bed.

Lando sat slouched in a chair next to Tendra's bed, elbows resting on the mattress and hands holding his head. He didn't move nor did he utter a word.

"I'm sorry, Lando," Leia took slow stilted steps into the room.

Calrissian slowly unfolded and twisted around to look at her. He rose to his feet and gazed upon her with dark vacant eyes.

The man's pain flooded through her. She opened her mouth then closed it as searing chill swept through her blood. Leia looked at Tendra and rubbed her cold hands together. "How is she?"

Lando clenched his teeth together and growled, "How does she look?"

The princess inhaled before returning her eyes to him. She shook her head, "Tendra will receive the best medical care possible. I'll make sure of it."

He looked at the ground and nodded. "I'm sure you will."

Leia knew it was coming before it happened, but she still found herself surprised when she landed hard on the deck. She touched her cheek and swallowed down the metallic taste tainting her saliva. Her chest rose and fell, and everything came to a stop. She blinked away the moisture in her eyes that always rises in the wake of pain. Carefully, she raised her large brown eyes to the quivering man. The blaster he now pointed at her head seemed logical, and she didn't have to guess where he got it.

"Hey—" Han froze in the doorway. "What?"

"I shoulda done it," Lando spat. "I…"

Han's fingers rested on the butt of his own blaster as his eyes traveled between his old friend and the woman he loved. "Lando, what's going on?"

Calrissian flicked his eyes to Han but kept the shaky nozzle of the blaster pointed on the princess. "What does it look like?"

"Nothin' good," he stretched both hands out just far enough to inspire trust but close enough draw his blaster if he had to. "Why don'tcha put the blaster away."

"Look at Tendra!" Lando's agony echoed off of the walls. "Look at what he did to her!"

Han complied but quickly moved his eyes from the unconscious woman to the one on the floor watching him. A swift heat crawled up his neck and spread over his cheeks. Han licked his lips, "Vader did that to 'er. So why ya' holdin' a blaster on Leia?"

"You!" Lando thrust the blaster closer to the princess' head. "You brought _her_ into our house!"

Solo took a step closer. "Yeah, _I _did, but I don't see ya' pointin' a blaster at me."

"He can't," Leia's hand slipped from her cheek.

Han watched the blaster in Lando's hand quake. He rolled his lips through his teeth, keeping his eyes on Lando's trigger finger. "Leia…"

Leia's calm demeanor demanded his attention. "He was supposed to kill you and Chewie. That's why Vader…" her eyes shifted to Tendra and her voice softened, "did what he did."

"No," Han's brow lowered. "If it weren't for Lando, we wouldn't have gotten away." He inhaled and shook his head, "Lando?"

Calrissian bared his teeth.

Leia's eyebrows peeked, "He couldn't do it. You're his friend."

"Is that right?" Han swallowed as he assessed his irate friend's level of tolerance. "If so, then I think it's fair to say, _Lando_, you ain't actin' much like a friend right now."

Chewbacca poked his head in the doorway and grunted.

"Chewie!" Han snapped but bit back his anger when the startled Calrissian did not pull the trigger.

Chewbacca's blue eyes flitted around the small cabin. A low guttural growl vibrated through the room, inflaming the already tense situation. The only conscious person in the room that seemed unfazed by the volatile atmosphere was the princess. Despite the blaster trembling near her temple and the electric current zipping amongst her friends, Leia's composure remained intact and her mien reflected no emotion. She sat as still as an opidut at night and kept her full attention on Han.

Han's hazel eyes fell back onto hers. Leia's relaxed posture reflected her patient demeanor, and she gazed upon him as if she was waiting for Han to resolve the situation. His face cracked, and he rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand. What did she expect him to do? Han had never seen Lando this enraged or this out of control. As far as Han could remember, Lando was _never _out of control. Han didn't know what to say to his friend or what to do. Leia was better with defusing conflict and facilitating compromises. After all, she was the youngest member of the Imperial Senate. And she knocked Vader on his ass. She almost won the light saber duel, and probably would have if Han had given her the chance. Leia could easily disarm Lando with or without physical force, and she was in a better position to do just that than he or Chewie was. So why did she just sit there? Did she _really_ want to die?

Leia pressed her lips together, forming a hint of a smile before letting it fade away. Han's hazel eyes softened as a spontaneous snake of relief tickled his spine.

"You ruined my life," Lando glowered at the princess. "You took everything I had, everything I loved, from me by bringing _her_ into my house. I helped you. Tendra helped you. We did everything we possibly could for you, and look at what happened!"

"Yeah, _I_ did that," Han's voice rose in pitch. "And I can't be any sorrier. But Leia had no choice in the matter. "

Lando's dark eyes shifted to Han and narrowed, "Yeah, you brought this…this _helpless_ creature to us. You had nowhere else to go, once again." His chest rose and fell as sweat rolled down his face. "Han, ol' buddy, all you ever brought upon me was ruin. You deserved to lose _everything_ you love."

"You can't do this," Solo whispered, entreated. "Please."

Calrissian grunted, and the blaster violently shook without losing its mark as Leia's large brown eyes gazed up into his.

"She's right. As much as I wanted to…I, I can't kill her to get back at you." His mustache twitched, "But…I _know_ who she is. I _saw_ what she's capable of." He swiped at the sweat droplets that started to hinder his sight. "Vader's _spawn. _The last thing the galaxy needs is another Darth Vader."

The air Han inhaled bottlenecked in his lungs. He couldn't move, couldn't speak. And there Leia sat, now pale and shaken as if she just realized the gravity of her situation. That look in her eyes…death wasn't what she feared. She would welcome death if it meant she would never become her father.

Han closed his eyes. "This isn't happening."

Chewbacca stepped next to Han and softly moaned and cooed. He placed a hand on his best friend's shoulder and tipped his head to the left as he continued speaking to Lando.

"How do you know?" Lando scowled at the Wookie. Chewie kept his tone soft and steady. Lando looked back down at the princess. "You can't be sure—"

Chewbacca continued speaking in a gentle disarming tone. He eased his way toward Lando until he was able to put his hairy paw on his old friend's back. Lando's arm dropped and the blaster clattered to the deck. His shoulders began to shake as the rest of his body racked with silent sobs. Han squeezed around Chewie and grabbed Leia's arm. He slowly pulled her to her feet and shuttled her out of the room.

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Darth Vader watched the progression of the lights that counted off the floors as the turbolift floated its way through its tube. When was the last time he had been in the same room as the Emperor? It had been a while, maybe close to a Coruscanti year, maybe more. In all that time, he performed his duties and enforced the Will of his Master upon those who did not heed Palpatine's law. Vader committed vulgar atrocities against too many beings, cities, and planets, most of them inhabited by non-humans. The fallen-Jedi-turned Sith Lord did it because that was what the Emperor expected of him and needed him to do. That was the only way the former Chancellor kept the galaxy under his ever-tightening fist. And Vader performed such acts without regret or pity or empathy or hesitation. His conscience remained pristine mainly because he buried it deep within him when his beautiful Padme betrayed him. Only an empty numbness remained where his conscience once resided.

The former Jedi preferred to live without a conscience and not because it made his inhumane duties easier to carry out. Instead, it was because his conscience had cost him his friends, his wife, and his humanity. When Anakin Skywalker slaughtered an entire village of Tuskan Raiders who caused his mother's death, his actions horrified him and shamed him as it should. But it didn't take long for that shame and horror to meld into a heavy molten rock compressed under later betrayals and losses until it burned his very essence.

_Why?_

Anakin believed in the Jedi code, well, did his best to live it even when he questioned it. His loyalty lain with the Jedi, but the Jedi didn't remain loyal to their own code when their power was threatened. How could the Masters request him to use his friendship with Chancellor Palpatine to acquire information the Jedi could use against the Head of the Republic, the very same Republic that the Jedi were sworn to protect? Even Obi Wan, his Master and best friend, didn't question the unethical mission. No, Obi Wan was the one who casually delivered the details of the mission to him as if the bending of rules was of no consequence.

And Chancellor Palpatine, a man Anakin admired and looked up to since he was a boy, was a Sith Lord. The Chancellor instructed him to execute Count Dooku, a Sith Lord eliminating another Sith because it was the Sith way. But the Chancellor did not soil his hands with Dooku's blood. Anakin carried out the deed though it went against all he was taught. So why did he do it? He trusted Palpatine but the old politician held no special power over him. All his actions were his own. But that didn't make it right. Wasn't he only giving into what he wanted to do all along, finish the man who took his arm?

_He was too powerful to let live._

And when Anakin learned that Palpatine was a Sith, wasn't it his duty to turn him in to the Jedi?

Even after the Chancellor's planet-shattering revelation, he relied on his friendship with Anakin, expected Anakin to serve as his eyes and ears amongst the Jedi. Both Palpatine and the Jedi swore allegiance to the Republic but conspired to destroy it. Anakin Skywalker was a Jedi, but spying and conspiracies were not the Jedi way. He felt as if his whole being, his very Life Force was being torn in half. He tried to be loyal to both parties, but neither Palpatine nor the Jedi allowed to him do just that. Even his own wife, Padme, talked of treason and wanted him to turn his back on everything he believed.

Anakin Skywalker learned that a conscience was a liability, a weakness easily exploited. Now there were just precise means to desired ends, no right or wrong, good or evil. His tongue explored the valleys and hills of one of his molars as his mind wandered to his long-lost daughter. Like her mother, Princess Leia's life depended on such rules to govern the universe. Such innocence should be protected. And at one time Anakin Skywalker would have been her protector. But that was a long time ago. Vader compressed his tongue between his teeth, studying its spongy composition with each tightening of the jaw. Would he have done things differently had he a conscience?

Probably not.

The lift doors swooshed open. Lord Vader stepped out of its small confines and into the vast emptiness that the Emperor encased himself. The ruler of the galaxy believed that such a dark endless chamber made him appear as an ominous enigma that commanded fear from his subjects and inspired whispered speculations. And Vader once thought that the Emperor's parlor tricks were very effective. But now as his masked eyes glared at the withered man seated on a black throne far too large for his shriveled body, Vader only saw gluttony and greed in his mentor's red-rimmed yellow eyes. And there was something more…

"Lord Vader," the Emperor's face creased in waves as he smiled. "Where is Princess Organa?"

Vader pressed his lips together. "Her Highness did come to me."

"But you do not present her to me," his hairless brow twisted in mock-confusion. "I take it your rendezvous did not go as you planned."

"Not exactly," Darth Vader sighed, "but our encounter was not fruitless."

"No?"

"I learned much more about Her Highness' abilities and triggers."

"And?"

The former Jedi swallowed as his eyes floated to the stream of lights outside the window. "It would be best if we abandon our attempts to turn her to the Dark Side. She will not change her beliefs."

"You don't think she can be corrupted?"

Vader's helmet whipped toward the Emperor's throne. _Corrupted. Is that what the Emperor did to him?_ "Bail Organa _corrupted_ her. I do not believe she can be persuaded to see how her Rebel Alliance is damaging the good of the galaxy."

The Emperor pressed his thin lips together and narrowed his eyes, "Bail Organa…" He let the late Senator's name hang in the space between them as he scrutinized his creation's reaction. The fallen Jedi remained motionless under Palpatine's yellow gaze. "I doubt Organa knew of his daughter's Force abilities."

"Senator Organa was nothing but a weak idiot," Vader spat. "He was too busy organizing an insurgency to notice anything about the child."

Palpatine's cackle grated against Vader's auditory receptors. He involuntarily winced but not at the audio irritation. The Emperor's cackling simmered to a wheeze. He smiled and shook his head, "Her father wasn't the only one who failed to notice her potential."

Vader's jaw tightened but the muscle's remaining in his shoulder's relaxed. "No, he wasn't."

"I am surprised you weren't able to be more persuasive, Lord Vader," Emperor Palpatine raised his chin and paused to allow his words to marinate in his subordinate's mind. "Perhaps she is still…bitter about the time she spent with you on the Death Star."

The chamber hissed with a deadly silence for a nanosecond, and the aged despot chuckled as he leaned back in his chair. "Did I hit a sore nerve or two?" He chuckled again, "I didn't think you had any left."

Darth Vader clenched his fists as he waited for the current of anger zipping through his wiring to dissipate. He lowered his head, "Perhaps my previous encounters with the princess have tainted my attempts of persuasion."

Palpatine pressed his fingers together and smacked his lips, "Perhaps." He shifted in his throne and smoothed his robes. "Perhaps if you had brought her to me when you first captured her, she would not be free to use her abilities against us."

Vader listened to his own mechanical respiration for a moment before answering. "She is untrained."

"And that makes her all the more dangerous."

Vader ran his lip through his teeth. "There is another factor that may be more detrimental than an untrained Force-sensitive—"

"Who has a higher midicholorian count than you," Palpatine interrupted.

Darth Vader bit into his lip and savored the metallic taste of his blood. _I still bleed._ "I have sensed the presence of an old Jedi Master."

The Emperor's cheek muscles sharply pulled back, inciting a smile in his underling. "That's impossible."

Vader's head tipped a millimeter to the left. His Sith Master failed to detect the princess' latent abilities in the Force before he did, and now Palpatine seemed uncharacteristically rattled by Vader's news. Perhaps the Emperor's Force strength waned with age. Or perhaps Darth Vader was more powerful. Maybe he always was.

_You're not all powerful._

_No one should be._ Her eyes, large and brown and calm…Darth Vader pressed his lips together. She was just a young idealist who still held an ounce of hope that all beings were innately good. She'd learn how wrong she was soon enough. And she would come to know that it took power to bring peace to a ruthless galaxy, and only the most powerful could do that.

"A Jedi Master? You are certain you are not mistaken?" Palpatine leaned forward in his throne.

Vader snapped out of his musings and clasped his hands behind his back, sporting a smug smile beneath his motionless mask. "No, my Lord." He opened his mouth but clamped it shut as he reordered his words. "The princess' Force presence outshined that of the Jedi Master's, but I am certain I felt something."

The Emperor rubbed his lips together and scrutinized the monster he created. Darth Vader stood before him as brash and self-confident as he'd been when Palpatine first met him as a boy. His paper-thin skin crinkled as his eyes narrowed. "Certain you felt something? Do you know who?"

Vader bowed his head, "No, My Lord. But the presence of a Jedi Master will only complicate the situation we find ourselves in. Princess Leia must be terminated before she can be trained as a Jedi."

The Emperor curled his bony fingers around the arms of his throne. "All Jedi Masters have been exterminated. You yourself killed the last."

"Is it possible that Obi Wan wasn't the only Jedi in hiding?" He asked.

Darth Sidious grinded his teeth as his yellow eyes flashed red, "If it weren't for your failings, General Kenobi wouldn't have survived long enough to aid in the destruction of the Death Star."

Vader lowered his head, "Yes, My Lord. But he can do no more damage."

_If you strike me down I'll be come more powerful._

He swallowed down his old Master's final words as the Emperor grunted. "Other Jedi in hiding. Perhaps your obsession with the princess has clouded your feelings. She has obviously clouded your judgment."

Vader's protected pale eyes glared at the wrinkled despot. "Perhaps you are right, My Lord," he conceded. "What are your instructions?"

The Emperor rubbed his chin as his wrinkled brow pulled down upon his eyes, "Return to your flag ship and await my further orders."

"And the princess?"

"You are right," Palpatine said. "She is too dangerous to let live." He licked his lips when he felt the hiccup of surprise in his apprentice. "I'll deal with her myself. You're dismissed, Lord Vader."

Darth Vader bowed but the Emperor had already turned his throne away from him. Vader turned on his heel and stormed into the turbolift.

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Han Solo slipped his hands into his back pockets as he strolled into the locker space. The area was shallow but long enough to house one misplaced Alderaanian princess and a busted up protocol droid. The smuggler frowned and leaned against the nearest locker.

"Hey, Sweetheart," Han forced some cheer into his voice though he knew his audience wouldn't appreciate it. "Wondered where you disappeared to."

"Wonder no more," she muttered without looking up at him or ceasing her work.

Solo's eyebrows rose and fell, uncertain where to go from there. His lips stretched and twisted until he bullied up enough courage to intrude further. He crossed one leg over another, "Chewie can do that."

Leia tapped the screwdriver in her hand against the gold shell. Her eyes traveled the length of the broken droid. "I know," she shrugged and then prodded the exposed wires of a leg.

Han nodded and watched the princess' nimble fingers settle into a rhythm as she connected wires and detangled others and tightened and loosened joints and grips. She had already repaired Threepio's arm, and from where Han stood, it looked as if she made some improvements.

"When did ya' learn to do all that?"

"From watching Chewie and Luke," she bit her lip, "and you, I suppose. Don't know. Just picked it up somewhere along the way."

Han slid down the wall until he was seated on the deck across from her. He pulled one knee up and rested an elbow on it while he continued to watch her work. "Just picked it up? Looks like you could school the rest of us."

Leia's slender fingers paused for a pulse. Her small mouth opened, but then she closed it and continued her ministrations on the poor droid.

Han's hazel eyes drifted around the open space until they settled on the princess. Her skin was pale beneath the layer of Tatooine dust and the left side of her bottom lip was red and swollen. She had tied her unruly hair back into a loose knot at the nape of her neck, but a few unruly strands still found their freedom and hindered her sight. Leia swiped at these rebellious strands as she passed her fingers over Threepio's innards.

"If I had known how mechanically inclined you are," he forced a smile, hoping to attract her attention, "I'd put ya' to work on the _Falcon_ years ago. Coulda saved the Alliance a lot of credits."

Leia stopped working but didn't look up. "I'm repairing a droid my _father_ built. He…he makes Threepio and just breaks him like the Threepio means nothing to him."

Han's fingers curled and uncurled as he stared at the golden droid's carcass. Threepio's dull shell harbored more dents since Han last saw him. He had lost what little sheen he had left and now, despite Leia's improvements, he looked like nothing more than spare parts.

"Probably doesn't mean anything to 'im," he frowned.

Leia's large brown eyes flew up and pierced his soul. Han swallowed and looked away. "You know how annoyin' Threepio can get, especially when he gets goin' on his 'I speak more languages than you' speech."

She nodded and her gaze slowly slid from him back to the motionless droid. Han silently cursed himself as he watched her drag her finger across Threepio's leg. He sighed, "Does it bother you that Goldenrod might not mean anything to Vader?"

Leia lifted her finger to examine the dust that accumulated on it, "It shouldn't."

Han shifted his legs around, stretched his neck to peer around the wall of lockers, and then let his head drop back against the padded wall. He ran his tongue along the roof of his mouth before he summoned his voice. "I dunno about shouldn't."

She met his eyes again, and the muscles in his shoulders tightened. He offered her a strangled smile and stifled shrug, "Can't control feelin's. You should know that." He threw in a wink.

Leia's morose countenance cracked a smile, a shaky but contagious smile, and Han felt as if he won the biggest Sabaac game of his life. But the smile lasted only a few seconds, and before he had a chance to truly savor it, she returned to her work. Han scratched his head and watched her fingers work again. A heavy silence fouled the air, and he had no way of clearing it, of making it breathable between them.

"Lando…" she whispered. "I…"

"I'm sorry," he grimaced. "I shoulda picked up on Lando's mood."

Leia shook her head and rested her back against the lockers. "There wasn't any time…" She dropped her head. "It shouldn't have happened."

"Yer right about that."

Han's harsh tone startled Leia. "No, not…Tendra…Vader…Lando's actions are justified. He has a right to be angry and act upon his emotions. I would---" she broke off, pulled her knees to her chest and let her head rest against the lockers. "I'm just thankful he didn't do what Vader expected."

"Not Lando," he reassured her, though he had to wonder how close Lando came to carrying out Vader's wishes or killing Leia. Han chewed the inside of his cheek in an attempt to block out the image of his old friend holding a blaster to her head.

"You can't hold Lando's actions against him," Leia pressed her lips together, forming an apologetic smile. "Tendra's struggling for her life. If roles were reversed I would have…" she bit her lip and inhaled. "I might've done worse."

"Hey, look at me," Han commanded her attention. "You wouldn't."

"No?" the princess' voice cracked. "You witnessed what I… Lando saw me." She closed her eyes and sighed, "He could be right. I could be the next terror to the galaxy."

"How couldja even think that, Leia?" his brow lowered.

"It's crossed your mind," she whispered. Han opened his mouth, but Leia tilted her head and quieted his protests. "It's okay. It's crossed my mind as well."

Solo's cheeks reddened and he wanted to gather her up and promise her everything was going to be okay, that once they returned to the rebel base everything would…would what? He shifted his position rubbed his hands on his thighs. He just wanted to touch her. But the way she held her body, the distant look in her beautiful eyes somehow told him that any physical contact would break her to pieces. _Like Threepio._

"Can I help ya'?" Han picked up a soldering pen.

The distance between them closed with a hint of a smile. "Be my guest." Leia swept her hand in the direction of Threepio's head, "Just you be nice to him."

"Hey, I'm a nice guy," Han flashed a lop-sided grin.

Leia chuckled, "I'm not sure 'nice' is the proper appellation."

Han waggled his eyebrows, "And what, Your Royal Highnessness, would you say the right _appellation_ is?"

The princess rolled her eyes, "Just get to work, flyboy."

Han grinned as he watched Leia settle back into her work. He scooted closer to her and moved his fingers in time with hers.


	19. Chapter 19

CHAPTER 19:

Princess Leia Organa lifted her chin and descended the _Millennium Falcon's_ ramp with an air of regal authority in each step. Her tangled hair tugged its way out of her unkempt bun, the long sleeve shirt she took from the moisture farm, _Luke's shirt,_ was soiled with dust and sweat, and her snug knit shorts made her combat boots look far too large for her delicate form. Her limbs were heavy with fatigue and every centimeter of her body ached from her and Vader's unfinished saber fight. Nevertheless, she was an Organa _(could she still call herself an Organa?)_ and Organas show no weakness, especially to their enemies. And Leia wasn't certain who her enemies were these days.

She kept her large brown eyes on General Crix Madine and inventoried the blaster-wielding rebels that stood in her peripheral vision. The general clasped his hands behind his back and held most of his weight on his left leg, a casual stance that put most beings at ease. But Leia wasn't most beings, and she knew Madine well enough to know he was more dangerous standing there in that position than if he wielded his sidearm. What did he expect from her?

"Your Highness," Madine inclined his head.

"General," Leia returned the gesture but consciously chose not to incline her head as low as Madine.

Her eyes then casually perused the hangar. The hangar was uncharacteristically empty, save for those soldiers flanking the _Falcon's _ramp and pointing their weapons at her. Some troopers kept their eyes adverted while others stared wide-eyed. Their fear and shame showered over her like the icy waters of Rhones Falls during early spring in Aldera. Leia clasped her hands in front of her and favored them with a conservative smile.

She then pressed her lips together and raised an eyebrow, "This is quite a welcoming party."

"I'm sure you understand our need for caution," Crix stretched his lips into a slip of a smile.

"The Rogue Squadron escort wasn't enough?" Leia's cheek twitched, forcing her lips into a fractioned smile. She held one hand up before the general answered, "No need for further explanation. Where's the medical transport and team I requested."

"Your Highness!" General Reeiken flagged the princess with his hand as he led a med team through the vigilant rebels.

Leia's countenance visibly relaxed and a warm smile settled on her lips, "General. Thank you." She turned her head and nodded. "Chewbacca will escort Mr. and Mrs. Calrissian to the medical center with you."

Chewie growled as he descended the ramp with a limp Tendra in his arms followed closely by Lando.

"Your Highness!" Madine snapped. "This is highly unorthodox."

"General," Reeiken placed a hand on his colleague's shoulder. "This woman is in dire need of medical attention. You're not going to refuse her."

Crix's icy blue eyes glared at Reeiken, "Of course not. But—"

"I'll personally escort them," Reeiken gave a final nod to the princess and went his way.

"General Madine," Princess Leia's firm tone caught his attention. "I understand your concerns for security, and I assure you that the Calrissians and Chewbacca are innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire. They have made more than their fair share of sacrifices for the rebellion, and they deserve to be treated with respect."

"And they will be, I can assure you," Madine crossed his arms over his chest. "You and Captain Solo, on the other hand…"

"Yes," Leia glanced over her shoulder. "And I'm grateful that despite our actions you sent the reinforcements that resulted in our escape. Captain Solo has left his blaster onboard the ship and will join me _completely unarmed_." She emphasized her words with a stern scowl pointed over her shoulder.

"Thank you for your understanding and cooperation," Madine's eyes dropped down to her waist. "And your light saber?"

"It's with the captain's blaster in the cockpit." She frowned. Did a light saber make a person so different in the eyes of others? Did they really think she was such a danger that a squadron was needed to apprehend her?

"Good to see ya' again, General," Han sported a lop-sided grin. "Nice for you to arrange a greeting party." His hazel eyes scanned the young soldiers who withered under his scrutiny.

"Captain Solo, I hope you'll be as cooperative as the princess."

Han's eyebrows shot up in mock-surprise as he turned to Leia, "What? Her Worshipfulness is cooperating?" She narrowed her eyes on him, and he shook his head. "Well, you gotta tell me your secret, General. I can't never get her to cooperate even when our lives are on the line."

The princess rolled her eyes and swallowed a smile. Madine, however, wasn't as amused, "Perhaps if you treated her with respect—"

Leia held her hands up, "General. Captain. I'm sure these men were pulled from more important duties to…welcome us properly." She smiled and nodded at the uncomfortable rebels, "Thank you, gentlemen."

Madine grimaced as he signaled them to stand down and then feigned a pleasant smile for the princess. "If you two will come with me."

Han's eyes rolled up to the ceiling. Leia placed her hand on his chest as she walked passed him. As long as they are together…she shook her head and swallowed her mirth.

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Mon Montha scrutinized the disheveled princess who sat across from her. She had seen her young colleague heavy with fatigue and crusted with blood and sweat after a battle, but never had the girl's eyes looked so…Mon Mothma cleared her throat as she looked away.

"Your Highness, we are all pleased that you have returned safely," she folded her hands on the table. "However, you left without the High Command's permission and stole an A-Wing, which you did not bring back with you."

The princess mimicked Mon Mothma's position, hands folded on the table, but her downcast eyes remained focused on her soiled fingers like a contrite child. Mon Mothma rapidly rubbed her tongue against her teeth. It seemed like almost yesterday that the girl sat before her father with the same apologetic expression after she was caught racing her speeder down the narrow streets of Oriol. And Mon Mothma knew that the princess, the victor of the contest, was anything but contrite. The young rebel wasn't going to make any of this easy. If only Bail were here…

"I'm to blame for the A-Wing," Han interjected. "I made her leave it. I dunno. I thought her life was more important than a ship." He slung his arm over the back of his chair and stretched out his legs, "Did I make the wrong choice?"

Leia's eyes slid to him faster than Han could draw his blaster, and her throat went dry. Han's mouth remained relaxed but tension wrinkled around his deadly eyes as he challenged the older woman.

Mon Mothma lifted her chin, "If you would rather spend this time in the barracks while we finish debriefing the princess, I'll gladly accommodate you."

Leia rubbed her thumbs against the skin of her hands, smearing the grease residue left from repairing Threepio. The thumping of her heart rose to the top of her chest, and she clenched and relaxed her toes as a means to calm the rising wave of anxiety that threatened to quench what little composure she had left.

Solo lifted his fingers from the back of the chair and fanned them out. "Nothin' but the best, huh?"

The elder politico opened her mouth, but General Dodonna spoke before her. "With all due respect, we're getting nowhere with these hostilities. Please, let us focus on what's important, and Captain Solo's perspective is just as important as the princess'."

Leia's large dark eyes swept up to meet the old general's. His lips pulled up and then relaxed in such a discreet manner that she was certain no one else caught it. The princess straightened her posture and lifted her head.

"Of course, General," Mon Mothma bowed her head for a pulse before returning her attention to the girl before her. "You also lied to us about the droids."

The princess' lips twitched. "I have no explanation for the fabrication."

"No explanation?" Mon Mothma's voice rose. When Leia refused to elaborate, the Alliance leader sighed, "Did the droids fall into Darth Vader's hands at any point during your imprisonment?"

Leia's large brown eyes bored deep into Mon Mothma's, and the older woman had to look away.

"The droids' well-being wasn't on the top of our worries at the time," Han growled. "After, I thought they'd be safe with my friend."

"And not with the Alliance?" Ackbar's eye rolled as he focused his vision.

"Traveling with the droids would have hindered our escape off of Coruscant," Leia shifted in her seat.

"That doesn't explain your fabrication."

"No, it doesn't." Leia answered with a firm voice.

Her fellow High Command members glanced at one another, their eyes wide with shock as if the girl slapped them all at once with her tiny soiled hand.

General Madine was the first to recover. "Did Vader extract any information from them?"

"Nothing he didn't already know," she answered.

"I order you to elaborate, Your Highness."

Leia's angry eyes flew to Mon Mothma. "They…" _They were his droids. _"…were encrypted with self-destruct programs if their security protocol was breached, like all other Alliance droids."

"Were either of you…forced to reveal the security override password?"

"Vader wasn't interested in two stupid droids!" Leia snapped, once again her colleagues fell silent.

Mon Mothma smoothed out the sleeves of her robe as if she was smoothing away the anger gurgling beneath her surface. "Then tell me, Your Highness, what _was_ Darth Vader interested in?"

Han abruptly stood up, pulling the princess to her feet by her hand. "Didn't we already have this conversation?"

"If I may remind you," General Dodonna pulled at his short beard, "we are here to determine whether or not you have betrayed the Alliance. You are under arrest until all indiscretions are cleared up. If you do not comply, it will be assumed you are guilty of the charges, and you will be incarcerated."

Han's eyebrows slammed into each other, "You think Leia betrayed the Alliance?"

"Or you. That's what we're here to determine, Captain Solo." Mon Mothma waved her hand at the empty chairs across from her. "Now take your seats or be arrested."

Han glared at the red-haired woman. Beside him Leia slowly sat down, pulling his hand with hers. He looked down at her and she squeezed his hand. He dropped into the chair and assumed the same deceptively nonchalant posture he used before.

"Very well, then," Mon Mothma cleared her throat. "Why don't we review the rescue and retrieve operation on Tatooine."

Han and Leia looked at each other. "Rescue and retrieve operation?"

"Yes," Madine shook his head. "General Reeiken helped us see the danger you may pose to the Alliance should you fall into Darth Vader's hands again."

The princess looked at her one-time caregiver, but he kept his arms crossed tightly over his chest and stared at the slick tabletop.

"Yes," Admiral Ackbar sucked in a breath. "General Reeiken, if you please."

Reeiken grunted an affirmative, lowered the lights, and activated the holovid. "This was captured by the surveillance recorder aboard the Xentra-1 captured on Tatooine."

Leia stared wide-eyed at the three dimensional holovid images that danced around the middle of the conference table like the creatures in Han's holochest game. She expected to see the fight from afar, a bird's eye view of all the players both major and minor. But the eye of the recorder focused only on the duel between her and Vader. The miniature version of her moved with such speed and grace, contradicting all that she knew of herself. And the way her image swung the light saber, it was as if she had wielded the weapon from birth. Was that truly her?

_No._ The princess pushed her chair back a centimeter and glowered at the tiny three-dimensional figures dancing around each other. No, that was not her. She was clumsy and she stumbled over her feet. Her motions with the light saber were awkward and out of control. Someone must have altered the holovid. She looked over at Reeiken whose lips were stretched in a thin line as he watched along with the rest of the room. He had seen it before, but he wasn't the one who recorded it. She would know if he did, wouldn't she?

Leia pulled her hands to her lap and squeezed her fingers together. Reeiken's uneasiness floated over her, settling in her chest. She shifted her eyes and stole a look at Han. His posture hadn't change. He still slouched in his seat feigning boredom, but the visible tightness of his jaw betrayed the worry and anger that churned within him. Neither he nor Carlist was appalled by the digital display like she was. They had to know it wasn't her. Why didn't they protest? Leia returned her attention to the holovid. How could that be her?

"Your skills are exemplary, Your Highness."

Admiral Ackbar's raspy voice gave her a start. She gazed upon him, "I'm not sure I would agree with you."

"No need to be modest, Princess," General Madine smiled at her.

"To fight hand-in-hand combat with Vader and not just survive but come close to defeating him," Ackbar paused to suck in another gulp of air, "your feat has raised the morale of our troops. You have given them hope that the evil can be stopped."

Leia opened her mouth and shook her head, "I went AWOL _and_ I stole a ship. I lied about the droids."

"In the light of things," Mon Mothma tucked her folded hands under her chin, "such indiscretions can be over looked."

"In the light of things?" Han tucked his chin. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"I'm sure it's fair to say, Your Highness, you have lifted the spirits of the High Command." General Dodonna's eyes traveled around the table, inciting nods and grunts in agreement. "You have shown that you are more than ready to take on the mission we discussed."

"Yes, more than ready," Mon Mothma lifted her chin. "What we are confused about is why Captain Solo stopped you from finishing Darth Vader?"

Leia's lips came together and she looked at Han. Han squeezed her thigh as he sat up and leaned his elbows on the table. He licked his lips, "From where I was standing, she looked like she needed a little help."

"Your Highness?" General Madine tilted his head as he addressed her. "Would you agree with Captain Solo's assessment of the situation?"

Leia's eyes traveled around the room then settled back on Madine. "I suspect my perspective would be skewed since I was the one engaged in the duel with Darth Vader." She watched the duel, focusing on the lithe movements of the girl who was her. Then she cleared her throat, "I'd like to believe that I would have emerged as the victor, but I wouldn't discount Captain Solo's judgment. After all, he was there."

Leia pinched the skin between her thumb and forefinger. _Why did he stop me?_

Mon Mothma rolled her lips between her teeth, "Perhaps, Captain Solo, you were a touch hasty in your actions."

"I'm certain Captain Solo was acting in the best interest of Her Highness," Reeiken cut in.

"Personal sacrifices for the good of the Alliance are made every day," Madine shook his head. "You know that, General."

Han sat up and his chair scratched against the floor. His face burned red and his mouth filled with the tirade of words flowing from his mind, "I ain't a part of yer _Alliance,_ General. So don't expect me to make any _personal _sacrifices for nobody!"

Reeiken held out his hands, one palm facing Han and the other Crix. "Gentlemen. We have all been in the midst of a firefight and know how quickly decisions must be made. I can't say that I wouldn't have made the same decision as Captain Solo had I been standing in his shoes at that moment."

Han sank back into his seat and Madine rolled his eyes, "Why doesn't that surprise me?"

"Generals!" Mon Mothma's brow lowered as she glared at Reeiken and Madine in turn.

"Uh…what we—" Dodonna started.

"Look at her!" Madine stood up and pointed at the holovid that continued to play in endless loops. "She was winning! She could have killed Vader and ended all this."

Han crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back in his chair, "Whadda bout the Emperor?"

Ackbar bulbous eyes rolled and he sucked in air, "Our chances of overthrowing the Emperor are much greater if Vader was no longer an obstacle."

Leia pulled her knees up to her body and wrapped her arms around them. The words floating on shouts and indignations smashed against her ears until nothing made sense. She kept her attention focused on the holovid. _I could have won. If only Han…_

"Made the right decision Captain Solo did."

Leia's large dark eyes, wide with curiosity, glued themselves to the short green shriveled being as he hobbled into the room. The robes he wore resembled those of the Jedi pictured in the ancient fairytale books her father read to her as a child. His wrinkle brow furrowed into hills and valleys that were held at bay by his wiry white eyebrows as his narrowed green eyes glowered at each of the room's occupants.

"Master Yoda," Mon Mothma whispered. "But—"

"Know it you do," Yoda's lower lip curled into an upside down 'u' as his green eyes stared at Han.

Leia's brow furrowed as she turned to Han. Although Han still slouched in his seat, she noticed that his posture tightened just a touch and his finger stopped tracing circles on the tabletop. His smug smirk also lacked its usual amount of conceit, and the standard tirade of gloating whenever he was told he was right never came.

The princess glanced around the room that had been rendered silent by the green creature's presences. Mon Mothma held her mouth tight, her lips stretching into a thin line as she met the intruder's eyes. General Madine glanced at Solo and narrowed his icy eyes though Han paid him no mind. Admiral Ackbar and Reeiken remained expressionless, but Leia could feel their discomfort.

She returned her attention to the unexpected guest who managed to barge into the meeting hall that only the High Command had access to. How did he breech security? More importantly, why didn't anyone, including Han, verbally react to his intrusion or question his identity?

Leia frowned as she turned her large brown eyes on Han. His bottom lip slid under his top lip a millimeter and he returned to tracing circles upon the table. Her chest compressed while her bones went rigid with uncertainty, and she was stricken by a new reality: she was all alone.

When no one spoke, Leia glowered at Solo and asked, "Is anyone going to introduce me to our new guest?"

"Your Highness," Mon Mothma held out a hand, "This is Master Yoda."

"Master…Yoda," Leia rolled his name around on her tongue, tasting its familiarity. But she never met him before. She was certain of that.

Yoda's ears curled as he bowed his head. "Correct you are." He watched her face twist into a question mark. "Jedi I am."

"But…" she glanced around the room. Not one being met her eyes. "I thought the Jedi…that none were left."

"In hiding I went. Like Obi Wan Kenobi."

The princess inhaled, "The Jedi are coming out of hiding?"

Yoda sighed heavily, "No more Jedi there are. Killed they have been, or have given up the Jedi way. Last of the Jedi I am…and you."

"You're mistaken," she countered barely above a whisper. "I'm not a Jedi." Her eyes returned to the holovid.

Dodonna's right eyebrow rose, "Then how do you explain your performance during the duel?"

"I was just trying to stay alive."

"Certain are you?" Yoda smiled at her like a parent catching a child in a lie.

Leia frowned and bit her lip.

"That's what I thought," Yoda nodded and then glanced around the room.

"Only Jedi can fight Vader the way she did," Madine argued.

The old Jedi Master sighed, "The Force runs strong in her family, but strength in the Force does not make one a Jedi."

"And we can't ignore," Ackbar inhaled, "the path chosen by her father."

Han folded his arms over his chest and glowered at the admiral, "Are you gonna hold her responsible for what her biological father has done?"

Ackbar held up a long webbed hand, "Not at all, Captain. But we must not overlook what has brought us to this place and time."

"Darth Vader a fallen Jedi he is," Yoda's large green eyes gazed upon a time long ago, and Leia could feel his sorrow and regrets. "The Dark Side he chose. A Sith he became. No longer a Jedi he is."

Madine dug his top teeth into his bottom teeth. "But she has _his_ genes."

Leia's throat constricted and her face blanched. Han was once again on his feet, leaning dangerously close to Madine, "You better not be implyin' what I think yer implyin'." He shoved his finger close to Madine's nose.

But the general was not intimidated. "Captain Solo, it seems you do not understand the gravity of the situation."

"Then make me understand," Han growled.

Madine looked to Mon Mothma and then to Yoda. His icy eyes slid to Leia, piercing deep into her large brown ones. "If you're not a Jedi, then what are you?"

The princess' eyes flashed red with anger and she took a moment before answering him, "I'm Princess Leia Organa of the Royal House of Alderaan and former Senator of the Galactic Empire. I-AM-NOT-A-JEDI."

Yoda chuckled and then sighed. "A Jedi you are not. That much is true. But a Jedi you will become with the right training."

Leia lifted her chin defiantly, "I had enough _training_ from Vader. I think I'll pass on any more."

Her skin rose into goose bumps, and she rubbed her hand against her thighs. No one met her eyes. No one wanted to expose their fear, but their raw emotions prickled her skin.

Han reached out his hand and slid it along her arm. "What Vader did wasn't nothin' close to training. It was another form of torture. When his other methods failed, guess that was the best he could come up with."

Leia looked into his eyes and gave him an edited smile. His words brought her some comfort, but she could still feel his apprehension over her newly discovered Force skills.

"Agree with Captain Solo I do," Yoda concurred. "Break her his goal was. Succeed he has not." He gazed into Leia's eyes and she had to look away.

"You could train her, Master Yoda," Dodonna asked.

"If she chooses, yes."

"I don't want to be a Jedi."

"Even if it meant the end of the war and the end of the Emperor's reign?" Ackbar asked.

Leia's finger twisted into the stray locks that slipped out of her sloppy bun as her chest visibly rose and fell.

Mon Mothma reached across the table and grabbed Leia's hand just as she did when the princess fidgeted with her hair when Mon Mothma had trained her in diplomacy. "You have given all of yourself to our cause, Leia. You want to bring peace and democracy to the galaxy more than anyone I know. And if you had the ability to end the Emperor's reign, even cripple the Empire enough for the Alliance to strike, wouldn't you want to use it?"

The princess pulled her hand out of older woman's hand and looked at Han. He chewed the skin on the edge of his finger as he watched the exchange.

"If Skywalker wasn't deceased—"

Han slammed his hand on the table and leaned forward, "Don't even go there."

Yoda grunted and shook his head.

Mon Mothma placed her open palms on the table, and though she lacked the force that Han used, her action brought a shaky silence. When she was confident she had everyone's attention, she sighed. "Your Highness, as you know we are in desperate times. Your potential as a Jedi could turn this war in our favor. You are our only hope."

Leia sprang to her feet and her chair crashed against the floor, "I am not a Jedi."

"Your Highness!" General Reeiken rose. "Leia."

The princess clutched her abdomen as she backpedaled into the wall. Han placed his hand on her cheek, "Leia?"

Leia's pale skin was cold and clammy. She looked at him with pleading eyes, pleading for something he couldn't give her. She inhaled and shook her head, "I'm not a Jedi, Han. I'm not Luke."

"No one was—"

Solo held up an angry finger, silencing the high ranking officers. Leia pushed some errant strands of hair out of her face then noticed the grease and dirt on her hands and under her fingernails. She stretched her hands out into the light. _These aren't my hands._

"I think I need some air," she announced as she turned toward the same door Yoda entered. Without an ounce of politeness or etiquette, she left followed closely by Han.

"I'll go check on her," General Reeiken stood up.

"Thank you, General."

General Madine watched and waited for Reeiken to leave before he shook his head, "We're finished if _she_ is our last hope. She's too unpredictable."

"Predict she leave this meeting you did not?" Yoda's left eye widened as he studied the bearded general and then chuckled.

"No," Mon Mothma huffed. "Her Highness has never behaved this way in the past no matter how difficult the situation was."

"Princess Leia has been under a lot of stress," Dodonna offered. "Perhaps she has reached her breaking point."

"Her father would be shamed!" Mon Mothma surmised.

"Ha," General Madine crossed his arms over his chest. "Which father?"

"That's enough!" Ackbar hissed.

Yoda raised his head, "Yes, enough it is. Make matters worse this will."

"Master Yoda," Mon Mothma rubbed her right temple with one finger, "if she can't be controlled, she poses a greater danger to us than both the Emperor and Darth Vader. She knows too much."

The wizened Jedi held up a hand. "Control?" Everyone looked at him with wide eyes. "Her whole life controlled she was. By the Jedi. By her adoptive family. By you, the leaders of the Rebel Alliance. Perform her duties she has since birth. Follow orders she has. Meet your expectations she did. No more control!" He pounded his walking stick once against the ground to emphasize his words.

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Ackbar sucked in a breath.

"Nothing." He raised his chin, waiting for someone to challenge him. "The choice to make hers it must be." Yoda grabbed the edge of the table and pulled himself to the edge of his seat. With a groan and a grunt, he landed on his feet and hobbled toward the door. "Go see her I will."

The remaining High Command said nothing but their eyes searched out their colleagues. When the door hissed locked behind the old Jedi Master, they leaned forward and kept their voices low though no one could hear them.

"The situation is graver than I thought," Dodonna's mouth screwed into a frown. "The princess has the potential to destroy everything we achieved. She could destroy the Alliance." He pulled on his beard, "Choice! Yoda must make her do what's right."

Mon Mothma fanned her fingers in the air, "He's a Jedi. He'll do whatever _he_ thinks is right."

"The Jedi way," Madine spat. "If it weren't for the Jedi---argh!"

Dodonna placed a hand on the younger man's shoulder. "Jedi are mortal like the rest of us. And as history has shown us it does not take a Jedi, good or bad, to kill a Jedi."

Madine's eyebrows pulled together, "Are you saying we don't need her?"

"No," Mon Mothma looked at General Dodonna. "She is our best weapon against Vader and Palpatine. But there are alternatives if she fails."

Madine smiled, "A plan B."

"Precisely, General," Mon Mothma's tone was somber despite the hope it brought to the two generals left in the room. She turned her grey eyes on Ackbar, "Admiral Ackbar has a preliminary strategy that I think we should begin developing further."

Ackbar deactivated the holovid of the princess and Darth Vader and input his memory card.

"What about General Reeiken?" Dodonna looked nervously at the door.

"Due to the general's emotional attachment to the princess," Mon Mothma rolled her lips between her teeth before continuing. "I think it would be best that he tends to the princess instead of involving himself with our alternative plan."

She waited for any protests from her fellow High Command but none came. Her lips stretched into a sad, closed-mouth smile while her eyes reflected a conflict that she did not feel.


	20. Chapter 20

CHAPTER 20:

Princess Leia lay curled on her side with her hands wrapped around her midsection. She had drifted into a difficult sleep after a seemingly endless bout of vomiting and was reluctant to let it go. She welcomed the hazy oblivion though it offered her no real relief from her fatigue. It was better than facing reality, however unreal that may be at the moment. She held tight to the numbing nothingness, but consciousness kept pulling at its edges until she had not a corner to hang on to.

"Why did you stop me?" her voice creaked with weariness.

"Huh?" Han shuffled his feet back, pushing himself off the wall on which he leaned.

Leia carefully rolled onto her back, keeping in mind the IV tube running into her arm. Her eyes gazed upon the ceiling. "Why did you stop me?"

Han opened his mouth and he ran one hand through his hair. "How ya' feelin'?"

She turned her head to the side and glared at him, "Answer the question."

"Thought I already answered that question," he growled.

"You didn't think I needed help," she accused. "You knew I'd win."

Han stared into Leia's eyes, those large brown eyes that captured his very soul. "Yeah. I knew you'd kill 'im."

She blinked twice and carefully inhaled, "Then why?"

He hooked his fingers in his belt. "You already know why."

Leia turned her head away from him. "You're holding me back."

"Holdin' you back?" Han straightened his posture. "From what, Leia?"

She rolled to her side and once again faced the wall. He took one step toward her bed but refrained from going any farther. "If you killed Vader, then what?"

"You tell me."

"The High Command would send ya' after the Emperor."

Leia shifted to her back but kept her eyes on the ceiling. "You don't think I could kill him as well?"

Han sighed and shook his head. "I dunno. I don't care. I just got this feelin' that all of this is a bad idea."

The princess slid her finger along the IV tube that led to the crook of her right arm. "A feeling?" She narrowed her large brown eyes upon him, "What? You're a Force Sensitive now?"

"Gods, I hope not!" Han's outburst exploded against the stark white walls, giving Leia a start. He pressed the palm of his hand against his forehead. "I didn't mean…"

Her body drooped against the bed as if her very soul had been pressed out of her. She licked her dry lips, "I have Vader's blood in me. It makes sense that I could be just like him."

Solo's chest rose and fell. His lack of words screamed loud in Leia's ears. She opened her mouth but quickly snapped it shut. Was that why he stood so far away from her? Was that the reason he hovered near the door?

Leia pressed her dry lips together. "You're afraid," she whispered.

"Yeah," Han straightened his posture.

"Then it's best if you leave."

"What?"

"Leave," she yelled. "I don't want you here."

Han grunted as he turned toward the door. _Need you she does. _He curled his toes in his boots to resist the urge to run away. "No."

"You better leave." The princess growled. "Now."

"Or what?" His head swiveled around and his chin jutted out.

She curled her fingers into tight little balls and pressed them against her stomach.

Han glowered at her. "I ain't afraid of you, Leia. I'm afraid _for_ you. And I ain't goin' away."

Her large brown eyes searched out his, easing away his anger. "I'm afraid of me," she whispered, catching her bottom lip between her teeth.

Solo took shaky steps to Leia's side and swept her hair away from her face. He pressed the back of his hand to her cheek. _I'm afraid of me…_ Those quiet words pierced a hole through his heart. Han leaned over and placed a kiss on her forehead. "You've got nothin' to be afraid of, Sweetheart."

"Did a mysterious Jedi Master tell you that?" Leia narrowed her eyes to accentuate her acidic tone.

Han opened his mouth and his eyebrows rose at her sudden shift in mood, from fragile to lethal in a matter of seconds. If he didn't know her as well as he did…Han shook his head, "I'm not the enemy."

"I don't know that."

Han shivered as her words sliced through him. "Is that how you really feel?"

There were those large vulnerable eyes again, so lost and afraid. She pushed out her lower lip defiantly, but the holes in her defenses deflated any royal haughtiness she still possessed. The scared insecure child she never was allowed to be remained, and Han thought he could never love her more.

"Leia…" he cupped her face in his hands and pressed his lips to hers before pulling away. "You are not a killer."

Leia swallowed his words, hoping they would settle her stomach. She watched his hand slide down her arm and settle on her clenched fist. Han gently rubbed his fingers over the back of her hand until her fingers loosened and welcomed his. Leia closed her eyes as she absorbed his warmth through her skin.

"Yes, listen to him," a rickety voice invaded the room, punctuated by the clank of a cane. "A killer you are not."

Leia's fingers released Han's as she slowly sat up to greet the aged Jedi Master.

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Darth Vader strode the slick decks of his flagship with his hands clasped securely behind his back. It was the fourth pass he made now, and the chilly stench of anxiety and fear that rose from the deck-hands clouded his vision. Vader mirthlessly smiled as he inhaled deeply, and his masked eyes flitted over the bent heads whose fingers furiously tapped the keys to their console.

Not a single one chanced a look at him. Even his Admiral avoided making eye-contact as he feigned interest in the nearest navigation station. He did not dare to move from the spot in fear that he would stumble into the Dark Lord's path and end up a corpse like the four other officers whose sins were unknown.

And Darth Vader liked it this way. Fear meant that fewer, if any, mistakes would be made. More importantly, fear only strengthened and calmed his buzzing heart. _He_ was Darth Vader, once the most powerful Jedi, now a great force to be reckoned with. Yes, he savored the fear he incited.

But there was one being in the galaxy that did not fear him.

_She's far too powerful to let live. I will deal with her myself. You are dismissed._

_You are dismissed_. Vader grunted, and the men nearby flinched. How dare the Emperor dismiss him as if he was one of the old man's minions! How dare that crazy despot think that he could tame the princess if Vader himself failed! The Emperor would soon pay. It was just a matter of waiting for the right moment.

The Dark Lord of the Sith stopped pacing and stared out of the great windshield of the _Executioner_. Before him the Empire's newest weapon floated. This new space station with its disc-shaped center and spider-like limbs, five in all, was nothing like the fear-inspiring Death Star. The Scorcher, as it was christened, paled in size and power when compared to the Death Star. This new weapon stretched as long as two Superstar Destroyers and fired a concentrated pyro-plasma that destroyed the surface area the size of a large city on a planet. And that seemingly minor damage wrecked havoc on the environment of the entire planet within several Coruscanti months, leaving its inhabitants dependent on the Empire for their recovery and survival. The Scorcher was by all means more efficient than the Death Star. Destroying planets decreased the Empire's gain of resources.

_Alderaan…such a waste._

The Emperor's new weapon orbited over the forest moon of Endor, waiting for its moment to show the galaxy all of its glory. The Emperor chose this moon because of its lush forests and small human population. As far of its indigenous were concerned, well no thought went to them at all. Vader shook his head. Where the Emperor saw an opportunity to incite fear in the galaxy, Vader saw a planet teaming with natural resources, something that Coruscant lacked.

"Crazy old man," Vader muttered under his breath.

_I'll deal with her myself._

The Sith Lord's lips curled beneath his mask. Princess Leia's whereabouts were a mystery to him, and he doubted the Emperor could sense her. If he could, he would know more about her. He would know the details that Vader left out, like the fact that she was his flesh and blood. The Emperor had no intention of killing the princess—at least not right away. He would attempt what Vader had failed to do.

And then use her against him if he succeeded.

"He won't succeed," the Dark Lord squeezed his fist together and watched the nearest Imperial officer crumble to the ground.

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Princess Leia Organa stood before the High Command with her chin held high and her face rigid with regal practice. Her dark hair was slicked back into a smooth bun that settled itself on the center of the back of her head. She donned a black flight suit that hugged her every curve, though the small vessel she was to use required no such precautions. Her large brown eyes scanned the briefing room, noting the absence of the aged Jedi Master. Master Yoda's absence wasn't a surprise to her. After their short time together, Leia knew there was nothing more he could say or do for her or the High Command.

Maybe it was better that way. Easier for her if nothing else. Leia made her choice, and there was no turning back now. Her eyes shifted to the right as she sensed rather than saw Han standing near her. His displeasure left a sour taste in her mouth, but he insisted on standing by her side.

"Your Highness," Mon Mothma favored the younger rebel before her with a gentle smile. "We have great faith in your abilities to complete this mission."

"Thank you," Leia quipped as if she was addressing a servant rather than one of her equal. But did she have any equals anymore? Was there a single person in this galaxy that could understand what it was like to have the abilities of a Jedi but want nothing to do with them?

_Not even you, Luke, could understand me._

A chill ran down Leia's spine, and she shook it away as she turned to leave. She sensed that Mon Mothma had more to say to her, or rather, more she did not want to say. The princess glanced over her shoulder, taking one last glance at the Alliance Leader. Mon Mothma was once her mentor and her friend. Now, for the sole reason that she possessed the abilities of a Jedi, Leia's long-time comrade rejected her and feared her.

_Have I changed that much?_ The princess turned away and exited the room.

Han narrowed his eyes and executed a mock-salute before he turned and followed Leia to the modified fighter they were to use for the top secret mission. If it weren't for their grim mission, the seasoned pilot might have taken great pleasure in exploring the finer qualities of such a ship. The Scimitar was a Sith ship that had folding wings shaped like a TIE-fighter and a nose like an X-wing. The small fighter contained a rare crystal-powered cloaking device that allowed the ship to evade detection by even the most advance technology security systems. Under the cockpit was a storage area that held all of the equipment he and Leia would need for their mission. And to sweeten the already-impressive ship, the Scimitar had solar ionized cannons that could fire bursts at the blink of an eye.

"I don't know how the Alliance got their hands on a ship like this," Han flashed Leia a lopsided grin. "But I'm glad they did."

"An old Sith ship," Leia snorted. "How appropriate."

Han frowned and looked over at her. "Do the Alliance's ship builders and suppliers have any star fighters that have a cloaking device?"

Leia rolled her eyes, "No."

He smirked, "So stop your complainin'."

"I wasn't complaining!"

"Are you gonna start complainin' about complainin'?"

"Just shut up, flyboy," Leia turned her head away so that Han couldn't see her smile.

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"The Rogue Squadron and Mynok Squadron has been deployed, Admiral."

"Good." Admiral Ackbar's scratchy voice held a hint of defeat but no battle had begun. "The cruisers carrying the short range fighters will jump to hyperspace at oh-eight hundred hours. Stand by for more instructions."

Ackbar swiveled his chair so that he faced Mon Mothma and General Dodonna. "Any word on the evacuation operations?"

"General Reeiken reported that the evacuation of Dasheete City is going smoothly," Mon Mothma smoothed out her robes. "It's small, and there's no Imperial activity in the area."

"No surprise there," Dodonna huffed. "After all, they plan to destroy the area."

"The Empire isn't usually that kind to those who serve it," Ackbar shook his head.

"Let's just hope that Madine's troops won't be needed," Mon Mothma sighed. "I wouldn't want to lose any of our men if the Empire attacks sooner than expected."

"What of the princess?" Dodonna inquired.

"We'll leave her fate to the Force." Mon Mothma quipped as her eyes drifted to the stars beyond the canopy.

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Princess Leia Organa's steady footfalls intermingled with the constant intake and expulsion of air emitted from Darth Vader's ventilator, creating an eerily hypnotic rhythm that rendered those who listened powerless. And those Imperials who were unaffected by the disturbing cadence were paralyzed by the sight of the supposedly-deceased Alderaani princess walking across the bridge of the _Executioner_. The sight of the petite girl had to be nothing more than a hallucination, mass hysteria by an overworked crew. How else could this apparition have gotten so far without being restrained?

"Princess Leia," Darth Vader bellowed. He stood at the helm with his hands clasped behind his back while he stared out at the stars. "Have you changed your mind?"

Leia stopped and tilted her head to the right, an amused smile dancing on her lips. "Changed my mind?"

Vader kept his back to her, but all Imperial eyes remained wide and focused on the exchange.

"You have not come here to kill me."

"No."

"Then you must have come here to ask for my help."

Leia's brow slightly furrowed, "Your help?"

She felt a ripple of confusion and dismay echo around her. And she knew Vader felt it, too. The Sith Lord whirled around with his red light saber poised for battle. With three large steps he towered over her. Their audience winced as Vader brought his blade down on the princess, stopping centimeters from slashing her neck. Leia arched her brow and waited.

"I don't think the Emperor would be pleased if you killed me before giving him the chance," she glared into the Dark Lord's expressionless eyes.

Vader's light saber hissed and crackled as it closed. He chuckled and dropped his hand to his side. "You think I care about pleasing the Emperor?"

Leia shrugged as she let her eyes slide over the alert men lining the trench that surrounded the catwalk. Darth Vader took a step back and hooked his weapon to his belt. "I ask you again, Your Highness. Is the Emperor's pleasure a high priority in my life?"

The princess lifted her chin, "No." She gazed at her enemy, "Your greatest priority is the wellbeing of the Empire. What pleases the Emperor may not benefit the Empire."

The Sith Lord smiled behind his gruesome mask. "Very good, Princess."

"And does the Emperor's ways please you, _Vader_?" she arched her right eyebrow.

Darth Vader clenched his teeth together as his smile widened. He shook his head, "You are treading very dangerous waters, Your Highness. I would be careful if I were you."

"I have nothing left to lose," Leia dropped her hand to her belt and removed her light saber. "Why don't we just end this here?"

The collective gasp rumbled through the bridge like a fresh spring breeze. Darth Vader started to reach for his own weapon, but the princess never activated hers. Instead she held her light saber, _his light saber_, out and waited for him to take it. Vader's shoulders relaxed as he confiscated the weapon.

_Even now, so close, my flesh and blood, she remains a mystery._ The Sith Lord beckoned to the nearest guard, one of many who failed at his job today. The lanky man paled as he scampered to the princess' side.

"Admiral," Vader turned half of his body toward the canopy. "Send orders to prepare my shuttle." He then looked at the guard. He flicked his wrist, and the stun-cuffs hanging from the guard's belt floated to the princess' hands and locked themselves around her thin wrists. "Escort her to my shuttle. Her Highness will be cooperative."

"Yes, sir," the guard mumbled as he took hold of Leia's arm.

Darth Vader watched the guard and his daughter until they exited the bridge. He sighed as he looked at his worn weapon. It wasn't his first light saber. Nor was it his second. He had never been good at keeping track of his light sabers during battles. He couldn't recall how many he had lost, but here in his hands was the very last light saber he possessed as a Jedi.

Vader's mechanical fingers tightened around the silver hilt. Obi Wan saved his light saber. Why? In the heat of that battle, the anguish and pain, why did his old friend and mentor take the time to retrieve Vader's—no, Anakin's light saber?

_Why didn't he try to rescue me?_

Would he have allowed Obi Wan to save him and nurture him back to health? Darth Vader hooked his old light saber onto his belt. At that point, Anakin Skywalker was unredeemable. And he didn't want to be redeemed. He chose his path and there was no turning back.

But that didn't soften the pain of being abandoned to die by his best friend.

"Admiral," Darth Vader growled. "Send a transmission to the Emperor. I will receive it in my quarters."

"Yes, sir."

The Dark Lord stormed down the catwalk. No one dared to look at him, and no one dared to breathe freely until their Master disappeared into the lift.


	21. Chapter 21

CHAPTER 21:

Captain Han Solo grumbled unintelligible Corellian curses as he approached the oddly-shaped space station. Leia switched up their mission only moments before they hovered under the belly of the Scorcher_,_ and as usual Han didn't like it one bit. Nevertheless, he attached the cloaked fighter to the _Executioner _and let her out.

"_Trust me,_" Han rolled his eyes. How many times had he used that line on her? And how many times did he have a solid plan when he expected her trust? He slammed his fist on the console of the stolen ship and sighed. While Han was one to jump into a precarious situation without a thought, Leia always weighed the possible outcomes of such situations before acting. Well, most of the time. He pressed his lips together. Not so much recently.

"Ah, Sith! What was I thinking?"

_The faster I get to the Emperor, the faster all this will be over._

Maybe Leia did weigh the possible outcomes. Maybe she already knew how things would end.

Han's fingers raced over the Scimitar's console as his eyes tracked the private Imperial Shuttle that left the _Executioner_ and floated toward the Scorcher's docking bay. Han unconsciously rubbed the scar on his chin. He didn't have to guess who that shuttle belonged to, and if Leia was right, Vader was the most direct path to the Emperor.

Solo grinned. "That's my girl."

But that grinned quickly morphed into a concerned scowl. Darth Vader was taking Leia to the Emperor. And then what?

There was no way Han was going to let Leia walk straight to her death, even if that was what she truly wanted. _The faster all this will be over._ Han ran a hand threw his hair as he guided the Scimitar toward the Scorcher. The stealth fighter gently rocked as it attached itself to one of the space station's limbs. The rigid tentacles of the space station looked solid from afar, but up close it had ridges and groves that pulsed with fiery liquid. He leaned forward to get a better look at the glowing veins and grimaced.

His and Leia's mission originally had been to shut down the minor reactors so that when the Alliance forces attacked the Scorcher a catastrophic disaster could be avoided when the fireworks started. From what Han could see it would take more than just shutting down the minor reactors to prevent innocent casualties on the Endor moon. He mirthlessly grinned in spite of himself. How could he be so stupid?

War was nothing more than achieving one's goals with minimum losses, and minimum was a relative term.

Han's heart began to pitter-patter unsteadily as his vision swam with images of Leia in various states of well-being. Why did he let her go?

_I need you by my side, want you there. But this…this is something I have to face alone. And this is something you have to survive. For me._

Han would do anything for her. She knew that. He wanted to be bitter about her using his weakness to win her argument, but he wasn't. She truly wanted him to survive, to continue living. He saw it in her eyes. Did she really believe he could live without her?

Nevertheless, Han intended to honor her wishes. Of course, that wasn't going to stop him from making sure she survived, too.

Solo thought about contacting Chewie but quickly dismissed the thought. There wasn't anything the Wookie could do. Han rose from the pilot's seat and stretched. "Here goes nothin'."

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The Emperor's lips pulled back to expose rows of decayed teeth as he studied the girl standing before him. Despite having her hands bound by stun-cuffs and facing her sworn enemy, she showed no fear, no anger. In fact, Princess Leia Organa was as calm as a quallet. The Emperor licked his lips and chuckled. Even this close, her Force presence remained elusive. How did an untrained Force Sensitive block her presence so effortlessly?

Unless she wasn't untrained. Unless Vader's senses were right and a Jedi Master was hiding with the rebels. The Emperor's strained smile melted into a frown. He tipped his head as he scrutinized the young rebel. Her large brown eyes met his, but they revealed nothing to the wizened despot. Palpatine grunted and settled into his throne. Not many could hide information from him and it was unsettling that this child could with such ease. The Emperor glared at his apprentice. Vader had made a crucial mistake allowing the princess to escape. _Arrogant fool. Some things never change_. Palpatine took a cleansing breath before returning his attention to the puzzle that stood before him.

"Your Highness," the aged despot pushed himself to his feet and took careful steps as he maneuvered the stairs that stood between him and the princess. "It's a pleasure to have you here before me."

Leia's eyes narrowed and she bit back a grimace. "I wish I could say the same."

"Ah, but _you_ came to me," he limped over to stand in front of her.

"That I did."

"And by coming here," his yellow eyes narrowed as he studied her, "what do you desire to accomplish?"

The princess' bottom lip twitched, and her vision turned inward. She had refused the High Command's orders to assassinate the Emperor. _I'm not a killer…_ Then why did she come? Why did she endanger Han's life by changing the mission?

Leia's brow furrowed as she looked into the Emperor's red-rimmed eyes. "Because I had to."

"_Because you had to_?" Palpatine smiled at Darth Vader. "Tell me, did a Jedi Master send you to kill me?"

"No," Leia frowned.

The Emperor gazed upon her, waiting for her to flinch, to reveal something. He grunted when he found nothing. Maybe there was nothing to find. Maybe Darth Vader's Jedi Master was a product of his paranoid imagination. Palpatine took a step back, and his eyes roamed over Leia's slight form.

"You want to kill me," he accused.

"No," she tipped her head to the left. "I want you dead, but do not wish to kill you."

Palpatine laughed as he regarded his apprentice, "Charming child. Wouldn't you say, Lord Vader?"

"Yes, My Lord," Vader smiled, pleased with his daughter's insolence.

The Emperor reached out a pale crooked finger to touch the princess' face. "Let me get a good look at you."

Leia pulled out of his reach, and her eyes flashed with anger. "Careful. I bite."

The Emperor cackled as he pulled his hand back into his robe, "Yes, that's what Lord Vader says."

A heated tickle prickled Palpatine's nerves, and he slowly inhaled as the princess' anger screamed out in the Force. The power that surged through her, almost as strong---no, stronger than…

"I understand that you almost defeated Lord Vader."

The princess looked at Vader, felt his burgeoning hate for her, but his contempt for the Emperor far exceeded his hate for her. Her lips pressed together and pulled to the right. Her skin crawled as she realized that she had unwittingly put herself in the middle of the galaxy's greatest struggle for power.

And here she thought she was going to…to what?

_And by coming here, what do you desire to accomplish?_

Her serene countenance remained intact as she inwardly cursed herself. What happen to her impeccable insight?

Palpatine shook his head, and he clamored back to his throne. "Guards! Take her away."

Before Leia could decipher her reasons for her actions, two royal guards donning red robes and standing at least two heads taller than her whisked her away. Though her purpose remained ambiguous to her, this was the last thing Leia expected.

_How dare that old ogre dismiss me!_ Being locked away prevented her from accomplishing anything. She had to face Palpatine and her father. That much she knew. But now she was being roughly ushered away by two silent guards who held their weapons ready to use at the slightest provocation. Leia scowled at the Emperor as she was led into the turbolift.

"Leave me, Lord Vader."

"Your Highness?"

The Emperor grinded his teeth, "You heard me! I need some time to think about how I will deal with her."

"Her death is the only way to prevent her from damaging the Empire." Vader stood his ground.

"I do not dispute that fact," Palpatine concurred. He pressed his lips together as he studied his underling, _my creation._ But he didn't create Vader's mind, and he couldn't control Vader's will. Not anymore, at least. What little remained of Anakin Skywalker cared for nothing, therefore he had nothing left to lose.

But Princess Leia did.

Palpatine sighed heavily, "Go to the Command Station. The princess did not come alone."

Darth Vader's brow furrowed, "Her companion is insignificant. Perhaps I should personally guard the princess."

The Emperor's yellow eyes narrowed on his underling. "After you allowed her to escape three times now?" He pressed his lips together and raised a brow, "If I didn't know you better, I would wonder…"

Vader rankled under the Emperor's slight. But now wasn't the time to lose control. Not with the princess still alive.

"Go now. Bring me her companion to me when you find him." The Emperor leaned back in his thrown.

Vader's jaw clenched and he performed a deep bow to his superior, "Yes, my Lord." He turned on his heel and stalked into the lift. His days of bowing to that old despot would be over soon enough.

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Admiral Ackbar stood on the bridge of the sleek Mon Calamari star cruiser, his eyes rolling in opposite directions as he took in information.

"General Madine's team has successfully blocked all exterior ventilation tubes, sir."

"Very well." Ackbar sucked in a long breath of air, "Commence attack."

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"Ah, we've been waiting for you," Palpatine's lips stretched back, creating waves of crinkled skin and exposing his decaying teeth.

Princess Leia's head whipped around and her mouth dropped open. _Han…_ She turned back toward the Emperor, swallowing down her shock and ire. She wasn't certain who she was more irked at: the Emperor, who kept her off-balance, or Han, who got himself caught. She stole a quick glance at Han. He shrugged.

_It wasn't supposed to happen this way!_ But how _was_ it supposed to happen?

"Captain Solo, I do not think the Princess is as pleased with your presence as I am," the Emperor chuckled as the quake of fury radiating from the girl dissipated.

Darth Vader shoved the smuggler aside, and stalked over to the princess. His large gloved hand wrapped around the thin tail that hung between two rolls her hair. Leia yelped as he sharply pulled down on the braid and exposed the delicate skin of her neck.

"Keep your hands off of her!" Han struggled to his feet but found he could do nothing to help her.

"It seems that you overlooked telling me something," the Emperor's voice dropped to a low growl, but Darth Vader's senses remained glued to the princess.

"You're hurting her," the Emperor raised his voice and laughed. "Are you going to make the same mistake twice?"

Vader slowly opened his fist as he gazed into the girl's frightened eyes. _Her eyes, the same fear as she gazed upon him for the last time…_ He stepped back. The princess stood in front of him, so tiny and unbalanced, dressed in a sleeveless beige tunic, leggings, and fingerless gloves that covered most of her arms. Every detail down to the dark brown boots, thin leather straps and delicate gold clasp that sat between her breasts were replicated with one exception: her tunic laid flat against her stomach.

Leia stared wide-eyed into his masked eyes, utterly shocked and confused by his violent actions. Of course, she found no answers there. She never would… Darth Vader's hand slowly floated to his side and his gaze fell to the floor.

"How long did you think you could hide it from me?" Palpatine clutched the armrests of his throne.

"_I_ can hide things from _you_?" Vader punctuated his question with a thrust of a finger in the Emperor's direction, recovering his footing.

The Emperor leaned forward. "Don't be coy with me, Vader." His eyes narrowed as he licked his lips. "I've had enough of your games and lies."

"I did not hide the existence of my son," Vader muttered, all the while keeping his eyes on his daughter.

Leia shivered. _I want to become a Jedi like my father._ Automatically, her mouth silently formed Luke's words. Vader had betrayed Luke even before he knew that monster was his father. Luke's pain overshadowed every emotion that ran through her. She felt a crack creep through her heart as if it were made of ice. Leia looked away from her father, fearing that she would crumble into a million pieces. _Oh, Luke. _

"But you failed to tell me of your daughter who happens to have the power to hide her Force Presence."

"Because she was hidden from me as well," he growled. The betrayal of his wife burned deep in his chest, scorching him as he looked at his daughter.

"The child is almost a spitting image of your dead wife." The Emperor gloated.

Leia's head whipped around and glanced at Vader. She had never seen a picture of her mother.

"I have to wonder why _you_ did not discover her true identity sooner," Vader countered with a bite in his tone.

A deadly silence compressed the occupants of the throne room. Leia held her breath, wondering if this was the moment that war would break out between the two Siths. What would be her role? She glanced over at Han. She could see his mind churning with possible escape routes. She bit her lip. Escape wasn't on her mind.

Isn't _this_," the Emperor waved a hand at the princess as he leisurely leaned back in his throne, "how she looked when you killed her?"

"I did not kill Padme," the Sith Lord whispered.

Leia gasped as an invisible hand shoved her to the ground. Han scrambled to her side. She looked up at him, "I'm okay."

"Your temper got the best of you like it did just this moment," the Emperor shook his head. "Your anger has always made you powerful, but sometimes it controls you instead of you controlling it."

The steady metallic wheeze of Vader's ventilator did not betray the fire that gurgled beneath his armor. He clenched his teeth together in an attempt to hold it back. How dare his Master mention his Padme's death! How dare he dress his daughter like—Vader's eyes fell upon the princess as she climbed to her feet. She looked so much like Padme that it spun his head. The Sith Lord relaxed his jaw and he turned his masked eyes on the Emperor. The overconfident despot may know how to ignite Vader's fury, but he did not know how powerful his apprentice had grown under his instruction. And the Emperor had not personally witnessed what the princess was capable of doing.

"Your daughter, on the other hand," Palpatine paused to evaluate the effect his words had on Vader, "has exceptional control of her anger."

_Anger leads to the Dark Side._

Leia raised an eyebrow and cocked her hip, "I don't have an ounce of anger inside me."

The Emperor laughed, sending shivers down Han's spine.

"It must be somewhat disturbing to have your own flesh and blood try to kill you."

Both Darth Vader and the princess looked at each other. _My father._ Her own flesh and blood tortured her within centimeters of her life, stood by as her home planet was destroyed, hurt Han just to see what she would do. She bit her tongue, savoring the metallic taste of her own blood.

Leia lifted her chin, "I know you lack a heart. Without a heart…is it possible to have any flesh and blood parts, _Father_?"

Vader's hands balled up into fists, "Your death will bring me great pleasure."

"You sure yer gonna be able to kill 'er?" Han smirked.

The Sith Lord growled as he stalked toward Han. Leia stepped between her enemy and her lover, holding one open hand up at chest level. The only thing that prevented further escalation of the tense situation was the ear-splitting cackle the Emperor emitted.

"Why don't we do things properly," the Former Chancellor waved his hand and Leia's light saber floated to her.

She licked her lips before taking the weapon out of the air. Palpatine's face crinkled in grooves as his lips stretched into a smile. At last, they had come to the moment for which he had waited.

"Your father's light saber," Palpatine cooed. "How fitting that he be killed by his own daughter with his own weapon."

"I will not be the one to lose my life today," Darth Vader ignited his weapon.

Leia's brow furrowed and she threw the weapon to the ground, "I'm not a Jedi."

Anxious to enlighten the Emperor of the princess' deadly talents, Vader held his lit light saber ready for battle, "Pick up your weapon!"

The princess looked up at him. Her large brown eyes reflected the same stubbornness Padme exhibited when he and her disagreed, and Vader hesitated. Was he repeating history?

"I will not fight you, Father."

Then he detected it. Under the stubbornness, Vader saw the disgust and ire that belonged solely to Princess Leia Organa, the living breathing reminder of Padme's betrayal. And she had to die.

"Then you will be destroyed," he stated as a matter of fact.

Han dove for Leia's weapon when Vader struck. Leia jumped out of the way of the incoming blade with little effort.

"Fight me, you ugly excuse for a cyborg!" Han yelled as he struggled to control Leia's light saber with his bound hands.

"Han, no!" Leia yelled and she yanked the weapon from his hands.

She glowered at Darth Vader and threw the light saber at him. It harmlessly bounced off of his chest plate.

"You'll regret your actions!" the Dark Lord sliced the air with his weapon while he advanced on his daughter. "And then Solo will pay for your sins with his blood."

Leia dodged the deadly blade by weaving and bobbing while she back peddled. She reached behind her and used the Force to remove Han's binders before she pushed him a meter away from the lift.

Han landed hard on his back-side. "I hate when you do that!" He pushed himself to his feet and started toward Leia.

Leia shoved her hand out again, "Han, don't!" She rolled out of Vader's way.

Han struggled to move, "Leia!"

She looked over her shoulder, "Remember what you promised! Go!"

"I won't!"

"You have to!" she dove under Vader's blade. "For me, please."

The Emperor's red-rimmed eyes were wide and hungry as he watched the one-sided duel. The princess' will to live pulsed with determination and strength, yet she refused to defend herself. He could feel her anger growing, yet she did not use it. Be she trained or untrained, she certainly was powerful. Palpatine salivated at the thought of what he could accomplish if he could just harness her powers. And there was only one sure way to do that.

"Enough!"

Darth Vader froze in mid-strike before deactivating his light saber. He glowered at the Emperor, prickling within his armor with his barely contained contempt and rage. His superior lowered his hand, and Vader let his hand fall to his side. The Dark Lord then glared at his daughter. His child had not chosen a side; she still did not know she had to. And her power exceeded that of both of her enemies. Couldn't the Emperor see the danger she possessed for both of them?

Leia's chest rose and fell with exhaustion as she gazed up at her enemy father. Darth Vader took a step back. Of course, his daughter was the most powerful Force Sensitive in the galaxy. Was she the Chosen One, the one to bring balance to the galaxy? It certainly wasn't him. A slight smile crawled its way over Darth Vader's lips. He, Anakin Skywalker, craved power, wanted nothing more than to be the most powerful Jedi ever. It had been his downfall. His daughter had no desire for power, rejected everything associated with Jedi. Would that be her downfall?

As long as she defeated the Emperor, Darth Vader didn't care.

Vader straightened and faced the Emperor, waiting for the tyrant's next move. The impatient Sith Lord closed his eyes and spent a second in meditation. The opportunity to exterminate one of his enemies would present itself soon. He could feel it. Vader's blue eyes opened. He knew the Emperor felt it, too. He wondered if the princess did.

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Mon Mothma decided to stay in her observation quarters aboard the Mon Calamari Star Cruiser instead of taking her position on the bridge with Admiral Ackbar. She sat rigid in her repulsor chair, staring out at the battle beyond her window, and nursing a tumbler of Nubian whiskey. It wasn't her practice to indulge in spirits during work or major battle attacks on the Empire, and she would be horrified if anyone caught her.

But calming her uncertainty trumped personal embarrassment, and right now the only thing that had the remote chance of calming her mind and conscience was a full tumbler of Nubian whiskey. Mon Mothma took another sip as she watched another A-wing explode. At least this one took out two TIE-fighters with it. The Alliance appeared to have the upper hand, but that did not ease her tension.

Mon Mothma frowned. More than just lives were to be lost in this battle. The Alliance's very existence depended on victory, which meant defeat was not an option. The woman sighed. When it was over, the task of rebuilding a democratic government for the New Republic of Free Planets would commence with her at its helm. The Alliance leader slowly rose from her comfortable chair and walked to the bay window. She could almost taste the dream she had clung to all these years, feel the breath of freedom.

Mon Mothma wasn't the only one that clung to that dream, that dedicated her entire being over to their cause. Princess Leia Organa had sacrificed more than her fair share for the Alliance and sacrificed even more when it was asked of her. But the girl's entire world had only been the rebellion. The Alliance leader had watched the princess grow up, breathing in every ideal her fath—Bail expelled, learning everything she could, watching Mon Mothma with her wide brown eyes so that she could become a skilled politician who championed democracy.

_Just like you._ Leia's tiny fingers had curled around Mon Mothma's when the child uttered those words. She could still see the toothless smile and chubby cheeks.

Mon Mothma wished things could have been different, that different choices could have been made. But too many secrets soured any room for mistakes. She and the High Command had to do what was best for the galaxy. The woman licked her lips. What Bail Organa would think of the decisions made? Mon Mothma's blue eyes followed a Y-wing as it tailed a TIE-fighter and shook her head. Organa had kept the secrets that had led up to this day.

_Did you know? Would your feelings have stayed the same?_

Mon Mothma swallowed the contents of her tumbler. Sacrifices had to be made, even if they left a bad taste in one's mouth.

"Mon Mothma," a faceless voice crackled over the comm.

The regal woman put her glass down with practice speed despite the fact that no one would see it. She cleared her throat, "Yes?"

"General Reeiken's relocated the evacuees to the other side of the planet. His evacuation mission was eighty-five percent successful."

Mon Mothma frowned, "Only eight-five?"

"A small group decided to stay and take their chances," the voice explained. "Survivalists. They've been waiting for the end of the world for some time now." When the Alliance leader failed to comment, the voice audibly swallowed and continued his report. "The indigenous beings were too hostile to evacuate, and none of them spoke Basic. We lost a couple of men. Unfortunately, there was nothing we could do."

Mon Mothma nodded, "Very well. Have you informed Admiral Ackbar and General Dodonna?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good," she turned her back to the comm and grabbed her tumbler. "Return to your duties. Continue to keep me updated on our progress."

"Yes, ma'am." The comm crackled then silenced.

Everything was going as planned. She poured more Nubian whiskey into her tumbler until it reached its lip, and her thoughts settled on Princess Leia and Captain Solo. By now Solo had to have figured out he was nothing more than an expendable decoy and a means to assure the princess made it onto the Scorcher.

_I'm not a Jedi. _

The girl had to know that she was the only one who had any chance of defeating both Darth Vader and the Emperor.

_I'm not a killer._

That remained to be seen.

Mon Mothma stared at the bottom of her robust cup. Master Yoda failed to reign in the princess, refused his council, and had been reclusive once the Alliance's strategic plans were finalized. He disapproved, but Mon Mothma didn't care. Jedi did more damage than good. The galaxy was better off without them.


	22. Chapter 22

CHAPTER 22:

The Emperor's sickly yellow eyes scrutinized his hostile audience. Perspiration, the only sign of her stress, clung to the princess' skin. The muscles in Captain Solo's neck stretched taut and he clenched his jaw tight. And then there was the Emperor's protégé. Darth Vader raised his chin and folded his arms over his chest, waiting for his mentor's next move.

Palpatine curled his upper lip, "Guards! Bring Captain Solo to me."

Han didn't react when two guards appeared out of nowhere and grabbed his arms. His feet automatically carried him to where the guards led him. He sought out Leia's eyes and offered her an apologetic smile. Her tormented dark ones hooked onto his for a moment longer than they should have. With great effort she climbed to her feet to face the Emperor. Alone she had no doubts she could take whatever the Emperor did to her and not give into what he wanted. But if the Emperor turned his wrath on Han the way Vader did, Leia was unsure of her resolve.

_He's only here because of me._

_Why am I here?_

Darth Vader watched his daughter pale as the guards deposited Solo by her side. For the very first time, the downpour of dread that flooded her lungs choked him as if he were the one drowning. He swallowed the unfamiliar sensation, but that did nothing to quench his discomfort. Vader shifted his body, allowed his arms to slowly fall to his side, and took a few measured steps backwards. But those simple actions did not smooth away the chinks her raw emotions created within him.

The Sith Lord stole a glance at the Emperor. The galaxy's demented despot seemed unaware of the fear simmering under the princess' calm façade. Darth Vader smirked despite his nausea. He knew that his daughter would not let the Emperor harm Captain Solo if she could prevent it, and Vader had no doubt she had the power to do just that. Did _she_ know?

Vader turned his attention to the cocky smuggler who wore a smug sneer that screamed, _Bring it on._

A devilish smile stretched wide on the fallen Jedi's mien. He couldn't help but admire the smuggler's reckless abandonment in the face of certain pain worse than death. The Sith Lord rolled his lips between his teeth. The stubborn man loved his daughter more than his own life. _Foolish man._

And his daughter was just as foolish. Darth Vader studied the way Leia looked at Solo. He remembered that look. He was once on the receiving end of a look like that. The princess foolhardily loved Solo as much as Padme once loved him, or rather Anakin. The monstrous cyborg he now was would never know what it felt like to be loved again.

Darth Vader rested his hand on the hilt of his light saber and squeezed it hard, hoping this strenuous act would put his deceased love out of his head. But his daughter, dressed as Padme was that fateful night, and the look in her eyes… _She_ cluttered his focus and hindered his attempt to reign in his pain.

Suddenly, Leia violently sucked in a breath and then allowed it to slowly escape through her mouth. He watched her breath crystallize then melt into the humidity of the room.

"You chose a path she could not follow," her gaze pierced through Darth Vader's shielded eyes.

"What?"

Leia blinked her eyes a few times and shook her head, "You could have left with her."

Darth Vader grunted and raised his hand, "You speak of things you do not know!"

"Lord Vader," the Emperor passively warned as he studied the princess with focused awe.

The Sith Lord, however, found nothing amusing about the things his daughter said. Vader's hand cracked against the side of the Leia's head. The Emperor's brow slammed down to hood his eyes, but he snapped his mouth shut against reprimands and settled himself onto his throne.

Although Leia hit the floor hard enough to knock out a gundark, she never yelped or recoiled with pain. Her expression remained serene and her large brown eyes stayed stuck on her father. Palpatine slid his tongue along the rough surface of his teeth, marveling at the child's resilience and control. Any lingering doubts about her abilities were erased in that single moment.

Han rushed to the princess' side and wrapped his arms around her as if this action alone could keep her safe. "Leia?"

He brushed his thumb against her lip to wipe away the blood. "Huh?" The worldly smuggler abruptly pulled back his hand and stared at his fingers. He rubbed his forefinger and thumb together but her blood remained cool to the touch.

"You chose the Dark Side to save her," Leia's breath lay visible in the air for a moment once again. "But you couldn't save her."

"No, he couldn't," the Emperor leaned forward and lowered his voice. "Your father isn't as powerful as you."

The princess slowly turned her attention to the Former Chancellor, staring at him as if she had never laid eyes upon him before this moment. Her skin rose in bumps, and she unconsciously wrapped her arms around herself searching for warmth, seemingly oblivious to Han's presence. The chill tingled on her tongue.

"Leia, Sweetheart?" Han whispered.

Her brow furrowed and her head tipped to the right. "Are you more powerful than my father?"

"Uh, Sweetheart," Han pulled her closer to him. "Are you sure you wanna be havin' this conversation?"

Leia did not to hear Han nor register the tremor in the Emperor's hands. Instead, she shifted her wide inquisitive eyes from the Palpatine to her father. "Was it worth it?"

Darth Vader was rendered motionless by her simple question. _Was it worth it?_ His masked eyes took in the princess, his child. Padme's child. _Was it worth it?_ Anakin did what he had to do. For the galaxy, for Padme, for his unborn child…Vader's pale blue eyes peered deep into the large brown ones that remained wide and unreadable. He stared at her, furrowing his brow as he scrutinized her being. Shouldn't he feel something…fatherly toward her? Anything?

The Emperor's graveling voice gurgled in his throat. "You shall experience just how powerful I am, Your Highness."

The room gently rocked and muffled explosions caught everyone's attention. The princess felt Han's arms tighten around her. Her fingers brushed against his skin before wrapping around his forearms. She and Han then stood up and looked out the large bay window behind Palpatine's throne. At a distance a battle between various vessels and fighters brilliantly blinked as ships were destroyed.

Leia smiled, and arched her right brow, "Doesn't look like you're very powerful from where I'm standing."

The tyrant's face contorted into sags of crinkled skin heavy with indignation. He extended a bony finger in the princess direction as he leaned forward. "You insolent child!"

She lowered her chin, glared at the Emperor, and slipped on a smirk that would make Han proud under any other circumstances. Instead, it incited his heart to pump faster. _What in the nine hells of Dantooine is she doing?_

"She's always insolent," Han shrugged his shoulders. "Can drive ya' crazy, but she really can't help it."

Leia's face pinched, "Feel free to leave at any time."

Solo rolled his eyes, "Would if I could."

Palpatine slowly leaned back in his throne and stretched his fingers over the armrests. Princess Leia surpassed her father's capacity for anger, but she compressed it into a tight ball that glowed deep within the pit of her stomach and held it in check with an icy glaze that managed to contain the searing heat. His eyes narrowed for a nanosecond before rapidly blinking. Her resolve felt shaky, and she feared herself more than she feared anyone else in the room. Of what was she afraid?

Palpatine rolled his tongue and rubbed it against his decaying teeth. He could sense her Force Presence, but it was muted even though she stood mere meters from him. He inhaled, _such control. Nothing like her father at all._ All despot had to do now was figure out the right amount of pressure to apply to reach his desired goal.

Palpatine's yellow eyes slid over Princess Leia's companion. If he had even a minute amount of empathy, he might ponder how Captain Solo felt being the only one in the throne room that did not have Force abilities. But he didn't, and the smuggler's helplessness tickled the Emperor until he lost himself in a fit of laughter.

Han and Leia winced as they watched the old man writhe with pleasure, and Darth Vader adjusted his audio sensors as he always did when the Emperor cackled.

"Captain Solo, you want to kill me."

"'Course. Who doesn't?"

"Apparently the princess doesn't," the Emperor smiled as he glowered at her, "or so she says."

Leia's countenance remained smooth as a pebble, causing Han's chest to constrict. "She's pretty honest."

The Emperor exposed his teeth and rubbed his fingers together when the corner of the princess' eye slightly twitched. "She's a politician…but I'll take your word for it."

Solo sported a lop-sided grin as he looked at Leia, "See? Even the Emperor thinks I'm trustworthy."

She clenched her teeth together and narrowed her eyes. "He doesn't know you very well."

Han feigned indignation, and Leia squeezed her hands into tight balls.

"Perhaps she brought you here to do her dirty work?"

"Yeah, like I can kill a Sith Lord." Han scoffed. Vader folded his arms across his chest and waited.

"Who knows? Maybe it's your lucky day," the Emperor's words dripped with smugness. "If I gave you an opportunity to _assassinate _me, how would you attempt to kill me?"

Han shifted his weight between his feet then looked down on Leia who kept her malevolent eyes on her enemy. "Well, I wouldn't attempt. I'd kill ya' with a single shot from my blaster." He looked down at his empty holster, "If I had one."

Palpatine sighed and smiled. "Guard." A red clothed Royal Guard stepped out of the shadows. "Give the man his blaster."

The guard did as he was told before he slipped away into the black. Han turned the weapon over in his hand and raised his brow.

"What? Yer just gonna gimme a loaded blaster knowin' I wanna kill ya'?"

"NOT just any blaster, Captain Solo," the Emperor's right cheek pulled up into a half-smile. "_Your_ blaster."

"Huh," Han and Leia exchanged looks. Her fear cracked through her confidence. Han offered her a slight smile before turning his attention back to their enemy. "So yer gonna—"

The blaster shot drowned out the rest of Han's words. Palpatine grinned as the deadly laser bounced harmlessly off of his bare hand. His red-rimmed eyes delighted in the shock marring Solo's face, causing his gut to quiver with pleasure. The Emperor then held out his hand, ripped Han's blaster out of his grip, and pointed it at the defenseless man.

"No!" Leia screamed as she pulled Han out of the line of fire.

Her actions were fast, but not fast enough. The laser blast grazed Han's shoulder and he grunted in pain. Leia quickly used the Force to rip the blaster from the Emperor's hand, and it clattered to the floor behind her.

Han's hand went to his wound and reluctantly looked at it. It was just a scratch, albeit a painful scratch, but a scratch nonetheless. Next to him, Leia's chest rose and fell while their enemies remained motionless. He smoothed her cheek with the back of his hand.

"You okay?"

The princess gave him a stifled nod, but that tiny gesture did little to ease his concern.

The Emperor's mouth moved as if he was chewing xagoi seeds. He expected Anakin's offspring to come to her lover's aid in a physical way that involved her discarded light saber. She did not even turn the crude blaster on him when she gained control of it.

Palpatine shifted his eyes to Darth Vader. Anakin's fury screamed in the Force while his daughter's was just a whisper. The naïve Tatooinian youth was easily manipulated, but the princess was born into the deceptive world of politics. And Anakin reveled in his Force strength; his daughter shrank from it. But she wouldn't shrink from it for long.

Darth Vader gazed upon his daughter's delicate form. She appeared pale and slightly shaken, though she tried to hide it behind her regal posture and determined expression. If only he could push her in the right direction. Vader glanced down at her discarded weapon. It rolled until it hit her boot.

"Dunk!" Leia yelled as she twirled to stand at Han's back. She shoved him into a ball, squeezed her eyes shut, and waited for the impact of fire.

When the blaster quieted, Leia opened her eyes and slowly uncurled. She looked over her shoulder. A haze of smoke lingered where the blaster fire should have hit, but there were no wounds on her back or scorch marks on her clothes.

Han unfolded and clutched Leia's forearms before pulling her to his chest and holding her tight against him. She soaked in his affection as her mind puzzled over what just happened. Did her father just save her life? She twisted her head to peer at her father. His unadulterated contempt for her was greater than it had ever been.

"Very interesting, Your Highness," the Emperor scooted toward the edge of his seat. "Who taught you that?"

"I didn't do anything!" Leia's voice quivered.

Palpatine laughed as his eyes roamed the room, "Do you think your _loving_ father did it?" He allowed the brazen question to settle in the room before he stretched his neck in the princess' direction. "Who taught you how to manipulate the Force like that?"

"No one." She looked at Han and uselessly hoped that he couldn't feel her trembling.

"No one?" the Former Chancellor's tone rose with ire.

Her face pinched, "No one! Look, Captain Solo has no reason to be here. Let him go so we can finish this."

Han grunted, "I'm not leavin' you." Leia shook her head.

"Finish what?" Palpatine raised a heavy eyebrow.

Leia's lips parted and her eyes slipped to the battle beyond the bay window. She watched the fighter formations, momentarily losing herself in the choreographed beauty of the ships' movements. She had never seen a firefight from this view before and marveled at how quiet violence could be. Lives were being lost, but from afar it felt as if it was just one of the holovid games she played as a child. How could she be so detached? Leia's eyes slipped to Darth Vader.

"Finish what you started."

Palpatine's eyes widened and his mouth stretch into an oval, "Jedi against Sith?"

The princess shook her head, "I'm not a Jedi."

"But your actions speak otherwise."

Darth Vader closely watched his daughter. She met his masked eyes, "One can't control where one's genes come from."

_Padme's genes were good, pure of heart._

Leia's brow furrowed and her mouth opened slightly. A hail of needles pierced through Vader's entire being, throwing him off balance. He ripped his eyes from her and pressed down his ever-expanding desire to lash out.

"Still," the Emperor cooed, "I think that you are capable of more."

"No, I didn't do anything! You're wasting your time," Leia defiantly yelled, though her words shook.

Palpatine snarled as he stretched his hand out in Han's direction. Han began to claw at his throat as he fought for breath.

Leia screwed her eyes shut and clutched her fingers together. _I can't stop this. I'm not a Jedi. I'm not my father's daughter. I can't…_

"Stop!" Leia entreated. Then she sucked in a frantic breath before she tried to pull away the invisible hand that squeezed her airway.

Solo leaned over, braced himself with his hands on his knees, and gulped down air in between fits of coughing. Darth Vader took a step toward the princess, but his feet were too unsteady to carry him further. The Emperor kept his hand pointed at the smuggler and his eyes on the choking princess.

"Whaddya doin' to her?" Han sputtered. He rushed to Leia's side, but he had no idea what to do.

To Solo's surprise the princess began to gasp for air. He stroked her back and willed her respiration to slow to a normal pace. She looked up to him, her large brown eyes wide and liquid, but a glow of triumph lit her complexion.

The Emperor sneered at Darth Vader. "What is this!"

The Sith Lord gaped at his daughter. "I…"

The Emperor grunted in disgust and curled his fingers in Han's direction. The smuggler arched his back, screaming in agony as tendrils of electricity twisted around his limbs and zapped his nerves. No matter how he contorted his body he couldn't escape the Emperor's assault.

Leia's lips pursed together, her fright boiling into fury. This fury bubbled and rolled through her veins and she narrowed her eyes on the despot's mossy teeth. The lightning bolts that clung to Han sizzled as they reluctantly ripped off of his body and consumed the princess. She bit her tongue in a futile attempt to stifle her screams, while she fought her body's urge to fold under the agonizing electric bolts.

Palpatine lowered his left brow as he continued shooting bolts at Han. His lethal Force Lightning repelled off of the smuggler without leaving a bruise and attached itself to the princess. With a frustrated growl, the Emperor thrust out his other hand in her direction, and released crackling talons of electricity. He licked his dry lips as he waited for the girl to falter under the burden.

"Leia!" Han touched her but the electric surge threw him to the ground.

Princess Leia's knees buckled under the intense pain, but she refused to let her body fall to the ground. She held herself as still as possible while the tangled blue currents pulled at her, and somehow she managed to stifle her screams with shallow breaths. Leia lift her head and glared into the Emperor's eyes.

"Eh!" he slammed his hands on the throne's armrests.

Leia bit back her discomfort and stood tall before her enemies. Her body trembled, thin purple bruises marred her pale skin, and a shadow of finger marks ringed her neck. Despite all her visible injuries, not an ounce of contempt or defiance had been punished out of her large brown eyes.

"You are most impressive, Princess," the despot shook his head. "But you haven't experienced my powers to the fullest."

Leia looked to her father. Had she experienced Vader's power to the fullest? Did she survive his worst? She clenched her teeth at the thought and pushed it from her mind. Darth Vader destroyed everything that she loved. No…the princess stole a glance at Han. She was strong enough to protect Han using her light saber. And this time, she somehow managed to absorb Han's pain, leaving him unharmed. Leia had no idea of how she pulled off that feat, but she did and that's all that mattered. She swallowed a smile. The Emperor was just as impotent as Vader was in his attempts to turn her to the Dark Side. Maybe she was the most powerful one in the throne room.

Leia's smirk peeked out. And she wasn't even a Jedi. _Then who are you?_

Palpatine pushed his feeble body from his throne and took a step just short of the first stair. He expelled a stale breath that squeaked like a kritten. He raised his hand next to his face and stared at the princess.

"Your arrogance matches that of your fathers," he whispered. He felt Leia bristle under his words and her smirk crumbled. "Like father like daughter," he sang.

"No," Leia straightened her spine and lifted her chin. "I'll never be a Jedi," she shook her head and turned her back to the Emperor, "and I'll never betray my heart for power."

A vice grabbed the back of her neck and yanked her back. Before Leia lost her footing, she twisted around and thrust her hand at her attacker. Darth Vader scrambled to keep his hold on her. All he had to do was apply more pressure and twist, and his demented Master's games would come one step closer to the end. But her Force Push broke the once-promising Jedi's hold on her, and he stumbled backwards.

The princess' eyes flashed red as she advanced on her father. He reached for his light saber, but she telepathically ripped it from his belt. "You didn't do it for anyone but yourself!"

"And I do not regret the choices I made," Vader growled as he stood his ground. "The Old Republic was weak. The Jedi blinded. A firm hand was the only way to bring order to the galaxy."

Leia clenched her teeth as she closed the distance between her and her father. "So where's the order?"

Palpatine chuckled while Han stared on with shock. Darth Vader pulled back his arm, but this time Leia caught his wrist before his hand came in contact with her. She not only prevented the Sith Lord from harming her, but managed to dig her fingers deep into his circuits. Vader stifled a partial grunt before he violently shook his arm.

Leia hung on as long as she could, but his physical strength outmatched hers. With one last flick of his arm, she flew through the air and landed at Han's feet. Solo quickly pulled her up and forced her to take her light saber from his hands.

"Ah," The Emperor sighed with ecstasy, "Your anger makes you powerful, Your Highness. Just like it did your father."

The untrained Force Sensitive contemplated the position of her enemies with her downcast eyes. She slowly inhaled and quietly said, "Maybe it's time I use that power to better the galaxy."

Before her words reached their destination, Leia's lips curled and she lit her light saber. She hunched her shoulders, threw the activated weapon at the crooked old man, and reveled in the unadulterated surprise etched on his face.

"Anger leads to the Dark Side!"

The blue sword froze in the air, and all eyes but Leia's zoomed in on the man who spoke those words. Han's brow was soaked in sweat and his complexion was almost as pale as the princess'. He paid no mind to his enemies, though, keeping his focus only on his love.

Han's fear crawled through Leia's nerves until every single synapse vibrated. She rolled her tongue along the roof of her mouth, tasting his raw emotion. _It's not my death you fear…_

The suspended light saber zipped shut and clattered to the floor. The air sat heavy in Leia's lungs. The subtle lights within the throne room and the glimmering stars and ships outside its bay window softly glowed, muffling the sound around her. She turned her head and looked over her shoulder. She could no longer distinguish Alliance ships from Imperial ships, and everything beyond the window moved as if they were contained in Bacta tanks. Leia stood mesmerized by the beauty around her.

A hushed whisper brushed against her cheek and a shadow snagged in the corner of her eye.

_Luke?_

Leia followed the elusive shadow until her eyes settled on her father. The robust figure that haunted her dreams appeared deflated and mortal as he tried to close the fingers on the hand she had damaged. Her lips parted, and she stole one last look at the brilliance surrounding her.

The princess sighed away the enchantment, emerging weary but not worn.

She smiled wistfully at Han, "Think of Chewie."

"Huh?"

Leia then flashed him a lopsided grin, "It has to be this way."

"Leia!"

The princess whirled around and called her light saber to her with her right hand. She whipped the activated weapon above her head as she stretched out her left hand. A light saber fought its way out of the Emperor's sleeve and into her fingers at the precise moment Vader's blade came down on her own. She activated the aged weapon and twisted it around to catch her father's blow while using her own saber to attack the Emperor.

Palpatine leapt with the sprite of a man several decades his youth and stretched out his gnarled hand. Leia felt the stolen light saber pull toward its owner, but she managed to keep hold of it. Although Darth Vader had the use of only one hand, his dueling skills remained a force to be reckoned with and Leia found herself using both light sabers to fend him off. Her father demanded most of her attention, but at the moment he was a greater threat than the Emperor.

_All I have to do is keep them distracted…_ The princess twisted and dunked out of the way of the incoming blade. She dropped to the ground and rolled to her feet, following through with a lunge that led into an offensive parry. From where she stood she was able to keep track of the Emperor's position while she dueled with her father. The old man stood at the edge of his throne as he watched the fight. Pleasure mixed with his ghostly scowl.

_Coward,_ Leia thought with disgust, _waiting to see the outcome of the duel before he makes a move._

"Leia, look out!"

Leia felt the heavy object flying her way before she saw it. Nevertheless, her defensive move came too late, and she cursed her arrogance a nanosecond before her world went black.

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A/N: thought this would be the last chapter, but I guess I was wrong. More to come…


	23. Chapter 23

CHAPTER 23:

General Carlist Reeiken tipped his head to the cloudless sky and shielded his vision with a hand. A battle was raging in near space but the violence did not disturb the atmosphere cocooning the Endor moon. His mission to evacuate Endor's inhabitants out of the Scorcher's direct line of fire was complete, but that brought him little comfort. If the Scorcher strikes, those successfully evacuated would live for another day, but the environment of the small moon would forever be altered and eventually uninhabitable. Those who remained behind had no chance of survival at all. And if the Rogue Squadron worked their magic, the toxic debris of the destroyed space station would pollute the planet's atmosphere and pelt the lush green terrain for months to come.

There were no victories to be won from where Reeiken stood.

Chewbacca moaned, and the general dropped his hand from his eyes. Carlist had no knowledge of Shyriiwook, but the tone of the Wookie's words needed no translation. Chewie's best friend was inside the Scorcher. Solo had to be in order for the Rogue Squadron to complete their part of the mission.

"I got word from General Dodonna that the Rogue Squadron just penetrated the outside defense layer," he offered. "Captain Solo should be on his way back now." _Hopefully with Leia._

Chewie tipped his head, woofed, and growled. Reeiken's expression twisted into a question mark.

"General, if I may," Threepio cut in. Reeiken nodded and for the umpteenth time that day was grateful he brought the talkative droid to aid with language barriers however grating that droid may be.

"Of course."

"Chewbacca said that Captain Solo should have returned already."

Carlist glanced up at the sky again, "It would take him at least a half a standard hour to reach the exterior ventilation tubes, and even with Leia's help---"

Chewie's urgent grunt cut into the general's words. Threepio's torso and head twisted between the two rebels. "They were sent to shut down the minor reactors on the Scorcher's extensions."

Reeiken's brow furrowed into deep grooves, "What?"

Threepio began to repeat the translation, but the general didn't give him a chance to finish. "They were supposed to block the exterior ventilation tubes. Shutting down those minor reactors won't…" Reeiken looked back up at the sky, "Are you sure you're not mistaken?"

The Wookie shook his shaggy head, and his string of grunts and whorls rose in volume.

"Chewbacca says he is not mistaken."

Reeiken rolled his lips through his teeth and closed his eyes. "How could I be so foolish?"

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All she could think of was that it was dark; it was terribly dark and terribly cold. Princess Leia blinked her eyes several times, hoping to clear her vision. However, that didn't help in the least. She stretched her eyes wide open and held them that way until they watered over, but she still failed to distinguish any familiar objects in the lightless environment. She snapped her eyes shut tight and focused. There was…

_Who's there?_ But "Who?" was all she could manage. She moved her tongue around her mouth and searched for the source of the metallic taste coating her teeth.

Leia slowly inhaled and exhaled, wincing in pain. She was vaguely aware that her arms were stretch out to the side, but she couldn't detect any restraints. She gritted her teeth together and gingerly wiggled her fingers though she couldn't see them. Moving her legs proved virtually impossible. She could feel their heaviness, but the slightest movement sent shocks of agony up her spine. Leia caught her breath, braced herself against the pain, and willed her limbs to push herself off the cold floor. But her body failed to obey, leaving her to the mercy of the fizzy fog that insulated her and kept her prisoner.

"If you breathe the air, you're gonna to die."

Leia tried to tilt her head back at the sound of the familiar voice, "Luke?"

A column of light fell upon her face and reflected back onto the familiar figure. She blinked her eyes until they focused.

"You're gonna die," Luke stood over her dressed in all black, arms folded over his chest, and face marred with time.

"If I stop," she sucked in another chilly breath. "I'll die."

He squatted next to her, offering her a weary smile. "You have to make a choice."

"Where's Han?"

Luke's blue eyes shifted upwards before returning to her, "Where he's supposed to be."

Tension eased its way out of her countenance, leaving a soft smile in its wake. For once, the hard-headed smuggler followed her order. Chewie would keep him safe, something she couldn't do no matter how powerful everyone thought she was.

"That's all _he_ wanted," Luke intruded upon her relief.

"He?"

Her brother pressed his lips together and waited. "_He_ wanted to keep her safe… keep us safe."

Leia's brow furrowed, "He didn't know about _us_."

Luke sighed, "Only because they didn't want him to know."

She studied the deep blue eyes hovering over her. They contained love and patience and something she couldn't quite put her finger on. Leia frowned. She shouldn't be able to see his eyes. She shouldn't be able to see him. That much she knew, didn't she?

The princess closed her eyes against him, "Doesn't make his actions any less evil."

"His actions were…misguided."

Leia's fury needed air to flourish and lash out, but she couldn't muster up the strength to inhale deep enough and the intense emotion slowly dissipated.

"His _misguided_ actions had consequences that the entire galaxy had to suffer," she whispered.

"Yeah," Luke's eyes clouded over. "He caused a lot of pain, caused you too much pain." Her brother rested his forearms on his thighs. "Do you think his choices would've been different if he knew about us?"

Leia closed her fingers into fists, but the action lacked not only discomfort but sensation, leaving her distractedly disturbed and wondering if she still physically existed.

"Leia?"

"No," she swallowed and gazed up at him. "It was too late by then."

Luke's mien fell and a pensive silence slid over him. Leia tried to touch her thumbs to her fingertips, but that, too, yielded no tangible results.

"_She_ thought there was still good left in him," her brother gently stroked her forehead.

The princess let her eyes slip closed under his touch, anxious to absorb his comfort. But something felt wrong. She opened her eyes and fixed her vision on his black-gloved hand, "What happened?"

Luke paused before lifting his hand up for examination. It hung between them like a great mass that threatened to eclipse her view of him. He turned it over before pulling the glove off.

She winced at the sight of brightly-colored wires surrounded by burnt flesh. Luke flexed and closed his hand, "Doesn't hurt. I'll get it replaced when the war's over with."

Leia couldn't tear her eyes from his damaged hand.

Luke favored her with a brotherly smile. "It's only a prosthetic hand," he slipped on the glove.

She grimaced at the black glove. A bundle of questions cluttered her mind only to be entangled by her tongue.

Luke's countenance sagged with sorrow, "Yeah, just like our father." Luke spread his fingers and held them up to the light, "Happened in a light saber fight."

"When?"

"In another life, it seems," he curled his fingers into a fist and opened his hand up again. "Does a prosthetic hand change who I am?"

Leia's large brown eyes scrutinized Luke's heavy features, searching for the innocent boy who died on Hoth. This Luke moved and looked as if he had seen too many horrors in the galaxy and it all had worn him down. This black-clad man with the prosthetic hand, a hint of someone Darth Vader might have been before he became Darth Vader, contained a weary wisdom beyond his years in his tired eyes. Was this man even Luke, or was he some apparition the Emperor or her own father now used against her? Leia's mouth twitched. How she wanted to find Luke underneath the worldly sadness staring down at her, but he died, didn't he die?

Then she caught it, the idealistic glint buried deep inside his deep blue eyes. Leia shook her head. "No," she whispered.

He smiled down at her and resumed stroking her forehead. "No, it doesn't."

"Luke," she swallowed. "What's happened to you?"

Luke puffed out his cheeks, pursed his lips, and then released the air with great care as he twisted a loose tendril of her hair around his finger. "Not what happened to you."

"I—"

He silenced her by touching her mouth. "_What if's_ are endless, Leia. Things might've happened differently. Maybe they did."

"You're not making sense."

"It's not me who has to make sense things." Luke stood up, "But that time will soon fall upon you."

"I'm tired," she exhaled and closed her eyes against her inertia. "I can't…I…"

"You've always been strong, Leia," he asserted. "Many need you to be. Han needs you to be."

Her eyes flew open, "Han's safe, right?"

Luke pressed his lips together and tilted his head to the right, "Han's where he should be."

A vice-like contraction gripped her heart. "Luke, whe…" Leia's lungs deflated, her eyelids became heavy, and her bodily pain returned tenfold. "Whas…hap..."

She knew rather than felt her brother's lips brush against her cheek, "You breathed."

"Sorry."

"Sh," she could hear his smile. "Remember, there's still good in him."

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Mon Mothma refused to answer her commlink, preferring Ackbar or Dodonna to deal with General Reeiken. Her steely blue eyes avoided the bay window in her private quarters. The battle had turned a few times but it once again favored the Alliance. The Rogue Squadron had set up their second run and was just waiting for Madine's command. Their first run wasn't a complete failure. Substantial damage to the inner west limb weakened the space station and wounded the targeting mechanism, but the damage did not hinder the Scorcher's weapons system. The High Command knew that the odds of destroying the Emperor's deadly space station with one hit by the Alliance's best squad were less than slim, but that didn't temper Mon Mothma's disappointed. The quicker the Scorcher was destroyed, the easier it would be to forget what the victory had cost them.

She inhaled and lifted her pale blue eyes to the smooth bulkhead. All of her worries, her stubborn self-righteousness, and her regrets manifested themselves in a heavy rock that sat cold in her stomach. She would like to blame the alcohol she consumed for her nausea, but the Former Senator, a maestro of persuasion, could not deceive herself even if the deception would ease her conscience.

Mon Mothma folded her hands upon her desk and stared at her bony pale wrists. How long had she known Carlist Reeiken? Over twenty years? As far as she could recall, he had been one of the earliest members of the rebellion long before the rebellion had any structure or order. Carlist was loyal to the Organas, to his friends, and to the Alliance. His compassion and attention to details made him the perfect general to command military and civilian evacuations. Reeiken never thought twice about risking his life for a dying man. And Mon Mothma admired his moral convictions.

But sometimes it was necessary to dirty one's hands if those sins benefitted the greater good of the galaxy. Carlist Reeiken sometimes forgot this cruel fact.

Mon Mothma closed her eyes and expelled a cleansing breath. She and the other High Command members sans Reeiken made the right choice. The Sith and Jedi already did enough damage to the galaxy. And Princess Leia's erratic behavior, Force abilities, and political forte posed the greatest threat of all. _If only the stubborn girl did what was expected of her and wasn't so unpredictable._

Princess Leia tied their hands. There was nothing more that Mon Mothma could do other than move forward and protect the galaxy.

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Leia deeply inhaled, savoring the warm breath that kissed her skin. She opened her eyes to see Han pull away from her. A biting wind swept over her body in his absence, and she clenched her teeth together to prevent herself from shivering. Shouts slammed against her ears then were silenced by the whine of a blaster and a cry of pain. The princess wrinkled her nose against the acidic smell of melted wires and flesh.

"Han?" she choked.

Solo's hazel eyes glistened and his countenance cracked into a triumphant grin. She reached for her head as he helped her to a seated position. Pain, once again, accompanied her every move and Leia swallowed a groan before it escaped.

"You're gonna pay, Solo!" Vader wheezed.

The princess' mouth formed the smallest of 'o's. Her large brown eyes gaped at the tendrils of smoke snaking out of her father's chest plate. The Sith Lord held his damaged hand over the wound while the other dragged his activated light saber. The red blade burned a molten line in its wake and hissed like an otiq ready to strike. Despite his injuries, Darth Vader moved with strong threatening steps, and he was headed straight for Han.

"She died believing there was still good left in you."

Leia's quiet words stopped the menacing Sith Lord in his path, and a crisp silence settled within the walls of the throne room.

Darth Vader's damaged ventilator hacked away the silence, "There is no good in me."

The princess' eyes were drawn to the stout green being who in turn studied her. _Yoda_. Where did he come from? Her eyes darted between her enemies then back to Yoda as the air, rigid with anticipation, began to burn her lungs.

"Luke believed there is good in you," she said before her eyes drifted off of the aged Jedi Master and onto her father.

The Dark Lord's ventilator hiccupped. "What do you believe…my child? Am I redeemable in your eyes?"

She pressed her lips together as she regarded her father. Leia shook her head, "No. It's too late for you, father." Her eyes pierced through his masked orbs, "It was too late long before you became Darth Vader."

Yoda's twisted walking stick created a hollow cadence, demanding attention as he wobbled his way deeper into the throne room. The Jedi Master came to a stop at an angle that completed an isosceles triangle with Darth Vader and the Emperor. Han and Leia became outliers to the three greatest forces in the galaxy. Always an opportunist, Han tugged on the princess' arm as he surveyed the perimeter of the lift. The only royal guards that remained were piles of red cloth.

Leia, however, seemed oblivious to the window of escape Yoda created. She watched the two Siths and the one Jedi, remnants of an overly romanticized era, wide-eyed and frozen to the cold hard floor beneath her.

"Right your daughter is," Yoda rested both hands on the top of his cane and fixed his sad eyes on the fallen Jedi. "Trained as a Jedi you should not have been."

The Emperor curled his lip and spat, "Jedi superiority. Why did the Jedi always think they had the right to choose someone's destiny?"

Vader tore his eyes from his old Master and laid them upon his remaining offspring. "My power is great, Master Yoda. You could not prevent me from fulfilling my destiny."

"Eh? Destiny?" Yoda's ears stretched open. "What destiny is there when in motion the future always is?"

"What of the Jedi's prophecy of the Chosen One?" Palpatine taunted with a smug sneer.

Yoda frowned as he looked at Darth Vader and then at Leia. "What is prophecy but an interpretation of a dead man's words?"

"Even if that man was not a mere mortal, but a _Jedi_?"

The Jedi Master's ears curled, "As you proved, Your Highness, mortal Jedi are."

The Emperor's brow rose and fell, "Yes…yes, I did do just that."

Yoda nodded, "Pride led to the fall of the Jedi. Pride will lead to the fall of your Empire."

"Before this day ends, any hope of resurrecting your Jedi Order will be permanently extinguished," the Emperor scowled.

All eyes fell on Leia, and she shank into herself under the intense scrutiny. Her fatigue weighed down her limbs, her heart squeezed her resolve dry, and an oppressive forlorn settled in her stomach. She had no fight left in her. If only she could return to Luke. _Why did I breathe?_

"Come here to resurrect the Jedi Order, so certain are you?" Yoda pushed his bottom lip upward, creating a frown that was more devious than sorrowful.

"Why else would you show your cowardly face here?" Palpatine snarled and cackled. "To kill me?"

Yoda drummed his fingers on the tip of his walking stick and waited for the Emperor's cackling to run itself down. "Not this time."

The Former Chancellor's upper lip quivered as he pierced Leia with his red-rimmed eyes. Leia's fingers found their way into Han's hand. Han weaved his own fingers through hers and softly stroked her skin. She absorbed the comfort his touch gave her for a moment then turned her face to him. The smuggler held his jaw rigid and glared at the tyrant. She could feel the electrical charge zipping through his muscles. Yet despite his hardened posture, Han's touch remained gentle and tender.

"I love you," her whisper barely audible.

The tension drained out of Han's face. He leaned close to her ear, "What's there not to love?"

Leia rolled her eyes, broke out a grin, and forced her body to her feet. Solo smirked and followed suit.

Yoda lifted his chin and tipped his head to the right. "Turn this child to the Dark Side did you?"

"I'm not finished with her yet," the Emperor called his old light saber to his hand.

The Jedi Master slipped one hand into his brown robes. "Finished with her you are."

Palpatine activated his weapon and charged toward the tiny green creature. Yoda in turn drew his light saber and flipped through the air before bringing his green blade down on his enemy's. Han and Leia gaped at the awe-inspiring sight. Claps as loud as thunder and flashes of white light jumped from the clashing blades. Leia found herself mesmerized by the agility and speed that both enemies evinced. Yoda leapt, flipped, and rolled while his light saber sliced, slashed and repelled the Emperor's blows. The Former Chancellor matched Yoda's prowess, performing feats that Leia thought impossible for such an old man.

Darth Vader wasted no more time fulfilling his threat. Leia called her weapon to her before she tore her eyes off of the deadly duel. She pushed Han out of her way and assumed a defensive position. Her light saber trembled slightly and she had no doubt that her father noticed.

_There's still good in him._

Leia bit her lower lip and froze. She heard Han's blaster screech with each squeeze of the trigger and felt the heat of the laser bolts that bounced off of Vader's red blade. Her enraged father was closing the distance between them at a rate faster than Leia was able to think.

The princess shifted her weight between her feet.

_You have to make sense of it all._

"Stop!" Leia screamed. "I can't!"

Her words concussed against the walls, slamming all but the princess to the ground. Leia still held her defensive stance with her light saber activated but her legs now shook. Her large brown eyes skated over her father, the Emperor, and Yoda until they came to rest on Han. His mouth hung agape and his hazel eyes stared at her as if he had never seen her before.

Leia's eyebrows peeked and she shook her head. "This isn't me," she entreated, her words balanced upon a whimper.

"Isn't it, Your Highness?" The Emperor braced himself against the floor with his elbows and waited for an answer that never came. "_Who _are you then, if _this _isn't you?"

Yoda pushed himself up, sat on his haunches, and frowned at the Emperor before taking inventory of the frightened child. The princess met Palpatine's yellow eyes without wavering, but the old Jedi Master felt her internal struggle. He pushed one brow low over his eye and flexed an ear. Whatever she was struggling about remained a mystery.

Yoda rubbed his lips together as he shifted his attention to his former pupil who now fought to right his broken body. Darth Vader's internal struggle was less concealed in the Force than his daughter's. Even now after all these years, the Sith Lord raged over how the Jedi, the Emperor, his own daughter, and the galaxy were aligned against him and who he held most responsible.

Leia tugged Yoda's attention to her, and her countenance begged for his council. The Jedi Master grunted as he climbed to his feet and collected his walking stick. "Much anger in you, like your father."

Leia's skin paled and she blinked away the moisture in her eyes. She twisted her head and watched her father push himself to his knees with his good hand.

"Yes," Palpatine hissed, "just like her father."

The princess dug her top teeth into her bottom lip and searched out Han. She wanted to go to him, hide in his arms, but her feet seemed welded to the floor. She opened her mouth only to find she had no voice to call him. Han remained oblivious to her immediate needs. Instead he glued his attention and blaster on her closest threat.

"Anger leads to the Dark Side," the Emperor cooed. "Isn't that what the Jedi say, Master Yoda?"

"Know this to be true you do."

Leia's eyes fell to the smooth black floor. The polished surface reflected everyone but her father, and the princess wondered if his lack of reflection was contributed to the color of his armor or his cold black core.

_You have to make a choice._

She turned her large brown eyes onto the battle outside the space station and rolled her bottom lip between her teeth as her thoughts faded into Luke. Her eyes snagged on an X-Wing weaving and diving as it scrambled to outrun a TIE-fighter. Leia released her bottom lip and twisted her head. Han's concerned features unconsciously flinched as the tremors and explosions grew louder and more frequent.

_You have to make sense of it all._

Her eyes slowly closed and she let the rumbling and quaking of the Scorcher flow through her. Too many what if's, too many variables cluttered any sense to be deciphered. What if she made the wrong choice?

"There's always a wrong choice," she muttered. "Isn't there?"

"Choice?" Han's eyebrows rose and Yoda's sternly pinched face silenced the smuggler.

"Your anger diminishes any choice, Your Highness," the Emperor rubbed his finger along the hilt of his antiquated light saber, waiting for the most dramatic moment to strike.

Leia turned her face toward her father. Although his wounds looked fatal, Darth Vader still managed to reclaim his feet and weapon.

"So sure are you?" Yoda scratched his left ear.

Leia wasn't sure if the Jedi Master's words were meant for her or the Emperor, and let his question drift into nothing as she studied her father.

_There's still good in him._

The exposed wires around Darth Vader's wrist, the wrist she damaged with her bare hand, were the same colors of those in Luke's prosthetic hand. Flesh and blood, wires and microchips. How much humanity is retained when microchips and wires outnumber flesh and blood? Was Luke, dressed in black and weathered with age, a product of a what if, a thing that could have happened? Aren't all what if's just choices not chosen?

_You have to make a choice._

_Who are you then, if this isn't you?_

Jedi or Sith? Rebel or dutiful Princess? Hero or Terrorist? A Symbol of Hope or Soldier? Pawn? Freedom Fighter? Student? Leader? Friend? Lover? Sister? Daughter?

Leia Organa steadied her large brown eyes on Yoda.

_Chosen One?_

"I am none of these things," Leia asserted with no malice in her voice.

Yoda smiled with his lips pressed together, and she forgot about the danger around her.

"Titles, labels such things don't make me who I am."

"Then you are of no use to me!" the Emperor growled.

He thrust his clawed hand out and lightning bolts cracked and sprang toward Leia. Leia raised her light saber, but Yoda bounced between her and the deadly currents of electricity, catching all of it in one hand. His face tightened as he sent the Force Lightening back at the Emperor. Palpatine grunted before he flew through the air and landed in his throne. He leapt to his feet and charged the aged Jedi.

Alarms screamed and the Scorcher rocked with greater forced. Yoda stole a moment to glance over his shoulder. "Go you must."

"But—"

"Not your fight this is," he called out as he rushed to meet his foe. "End what we begun I must do alone."

Han grabbed Leia's arm, "Come on. Time's running out."

Darth Vader twirled his light saber with his good hand as he prepared to aid the Emperor. But he stopped and turned his grotesquely masked face to his daughter.

"Go. I'll catch up," the princess ordered.

"Leia!" Han uselessly called. He mumbled a few Corellian curses before pulling out a commlink from his vest pocket.

Leia walked toward her biological father, no urgency dwelled in her steady steps. Darth Vader's stride held more emotion which quickened his pace. When the met, Vader's weapon was activated and ready even though his daughter's hung limp in her hand.

"You should have died before your mother gave birth to you!" the Sith Lord swung his blade down on her, but the move was clumsy and slow, allowing Leia to easily avoid his attack.

"Your birth was an abomination," she exhaled as she gazed at nothing he could see. "Neither of us should be here."

Vader stumbled back as his mother's face flashed before his eyes. It was the face full of love and sorrow that sent him away to become a Jedi when he was just nine years old, not the hollow face that released her last breath as she died in his arms.

What of his father? Why had he never asked….

Darth Vader found himself lying on his back with his daughter standing over him. He twisted his head and saw his light saber was within reach, and the princess still hadn't activated hers.

"Maybe you already knew the answer," Leia whispered as if she was puzzling over the same mystery as he.

The Sith Lord clenched his teeth together. He called his weapon to him and brought it across his body to catch the princess' midsection. With little effort, Leia activated her light saber and sliced through his wrist. His hand still clutched his weapon as it bounced through the air. Vader held up his handless arm and his broken hand in an act of surrender.

_There's still good in him. She believed there was still good in him._

The princess swallowed down the bile in her throat. "Take off your helmet."

Darth Vader made no move to comply.

"Do it," she quietly commanded as she held the tip of her light saber at her father's throat. Somewhere in the distance, she could hear her name float above the alarms.

"I'll die," Vader entreated.

"Nothing's going to stop that now."

The Sith Lord grunted and pressed the palm of his remaining hand against the side of his helmet. With a pop and a hiss, the grotesque mask that had imprisoned him for so many years clattered to the floor. Anakin sucked in the unfiltered air of the throne room through his mouth and he blinked his unmasked eyes against the red and green blades that clashed between Yoda and Palpatine. Then he sought out the face of his daughter.

Leia gazed into her father's watery blue eyes searching for whatever Luke might have seen that made him forgive the man who terrorized the galaxy and tortured her. Her father's eyes were surrounded by ashen skin and thick rugged scars that left no room for hair. His mouth created a bluish halo that loosely encircled yellow teeth.

Darth Vader grimaced and his pale eyes sharpened. "Did you find what you're looking for?"

The princess tilted her head and furrowed her brow. This man sired her. He sired Luke. Anyone who genetically contributed to Luke's DNA had to have some redeeming quality.

Leia straightened and shook her head, "No."

The dying Sith Lord pulled back his lips, creating a horrific smile that sent shivers down Leia's spine. "Neither did I."

She gave him a short nod. "Then there's nothing left to be said."

"Good!" Han tore the light saber from Leia's hand and drove it into Darth Vader's chest.

TO BE CONTINUED...


	24. Chapter 24

CHAPTER 24:

Princess Leia caught her breath and stared at the light saber that Han embedded in her father's chest. Darth Vader's eyes bulged and his throat gurgled and sputtered bloody spittle as his chest plate sparked and sizzled. His massive limbs clattered against the floor, muting the screaming alarms, the meeting of blades, and trembling explosions that rocked the space station.

"Come on," Han grabbed Leia's arm and pulled her away from the grotesque sight.

She tugged him in the opposite direction, "I want to make sure he's dead."

"He's dead, Sweetheart," Han slid his hand down her arm and laced his fingers into hers. "We're next if we don't git goin' now."

Leia allowed Han to lead her away, but she kept her eyes on her father until his body ceased moving. A heady lightness replaced the oxygen in her blood cells, knocking Leia's equilibrium off kilter. She clung to Han's fingers and focused on keeping her feet moving. Solo's anxiety quickened her pulse and flooded into her lungs. Leia felt his desperation, and she found it difficult to concentrate on the here and now.

The princess opened her mouth to steal gulps of air. They were always running from something, always escaping death by a step or two. How much longer could she keep up this pace? Her eyes fell on Han's weathered hand, a sharp contrast to her pale fingers. He squeezed her hand tight enough to hurt her, but Leia kept mute about her discomfort as she fought against her heavy fatigue.

Han came to an abrupt halt at the turbo lift. The last thing he wanted was to get trapped in a lift on a space station that had a very short life expectancy, but he didn't know of any other routes of escape.

"No other choice," he mumbled to himself as he began slamming his finger and fists on the buttons.

Leia's large brown eyes were drawn to the epic battle between the Emperor and Yoda. Both enemies were equally winded, but neither warrior seemed ready to give up. The princess furrowed her brow as she focused on the strategic moves playing out before her. Yoda passed up at least three opportunities that would have ended the duel in the span of half a second.

_Why else would you show your cowardly face here? To kill me?_

Yoda paused for a millisecond and glanced over his shoulder before renewing his attack on the Emperor.

_Not this time._

"Ha!" Han grinned. "I'm still a brilliant mechanic!"

Leia gaped at the open lift then turned her eyes back to the Jedi Master. If he didn't come to kill the Emperor… Yoda spared her no more attention as he whipped and whirled his green blade over his head, carrying on the grueling light saber duel.

"Come on, Leia!"

It didn't feel right leaving Yoda to fight the Emperor himself.

_This way it must be._

The princess opened her mouth as the Jedi Master's silent words invaded her thoughts.

_Go now you must!_

Han wrapped his arm around Leia's chest and dragged her into the lift before he entered their destination into the keypad.

Solo yelped. "We're gonna make it."

The atmosphere inside the lift pressed down on the princess. She braced herself by stretching out her arms and pressing her open palms against the wall. She raised her head to scrutinize the muted emergency lights. "We're still on the Scorcher."

"We won't be for long," Han grinned at the door as he watched the lights on the keypad tick off every floor they passed.

Leia sucked in breaths of air through her mouth and swiped the perspiration off of her forehead with the back of one hand. "How can you be so sure?"

Han whirled around and sported a lop-sided grin. He held his hands out to the side, "Hey, it's me."

All Leia could do was raise one brow and bite back a smile.

"And I commed Chewie," he shrugged.

"How far…"

Han's forehead crinkled and his levity dissipated when his hazel eyes scanned his companion. Leia had taken the brunt of the Emperor's and Vader's punishment and it was starting to show. Her moist skin was paler than usual and her limbs were trembling. "You don't look so good."

"You," She raised a shaky brow, "don't either."

They both glanced at Han's shoulder and cringed at his burnt flesh, "I don't look as bad as you."

"Are you…so sure?"

His eyes widened and retracted as he thrust a finger in her face. Leia silenced his coming reprimand by taking hold of his finger. "I'm tired," she whispered.

Solo pressed his lips into a frown and reclaimed his finger. She gazed up at him with the intent to manipulate away his concern and ire with just the right look, but for the first time she since she knew him, she failed.

Leia rolled her eyes and mumbled, "I must look bad."

"Huh?"

The turbolift jerked to a halt, and Leia clenched her teeth together to contain her nausea. Han readied his blaster as he peered outside the lift door. The hangar was littered with debris, crushed ships, large chunks of permecrete, and Imperials of various ranks frantically running around. Han pulled back and studied the chaos, looking for the perfect moment.

"Come on," Solo reached for the princess' hand.

"What about…Imperials?" she resisted him.

"They're worried about savin' themselves," he reassured her as he holstered his blaster and pulled out his commlink. "Chewie, send me your coordinates."

Solo pocketed the commlink and helped Leia out of the turbolift and into the quaking mess. Keeping an eye on the ceiling for falling objects, they zigzagged through the labyrinth of Imperials and TIE-fighters and cargo ships. Leia's lungs burned, and she was sure her legs would give out at any moment. If she was alone, she would have dropped where she was and let fate do its thing. But she wasn't alone, and Han wouldn't leave her so she had no choice but to push forward.

"There!" Han pointed, his relief flooding through him and into her.

The princess sighed as she saw the _Millennium Falcon _docked not too far ahead of them. _Only a few more meters,_ she repeated to herself over and over as her legs started to lose their will to obey her. Leia tightened her grip on Han's hand hoping to sap some of his strength for herself. They sprinted to the _Falcon_ and ran up the landing ramp. Lando and Tendra helped them into the ship as the landing ramp began to close before they reached the interior of the ship.

"Lando," Han gazed into his friend's eyes, "you can handle things with Chewie."

"Yeah, no problem."

Han hoisted Leia into his arms, and Tendra rushed ahead to prepare the medical cabin for the pair.

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Yoda winced as his body slammed against the cold floor yet again. He Forced pushed the Emperor before the wizened man landed on him. The Emperor writhed around above Yoda then fell hard upon the permecrete. Faster than a blink of an eye, the two enemies threw their bodies at each other. Palpatine swung his blade as his lips stretched into a horrid smile.

Yoda brought his green blade up to block the oncoming attack. His large green eyes widened and his light saber clattered to the floor. Then the Jedi Master's stubby fingers caught Palpatine's wrist.

"Chosen one she is," the Jedi Master declared. "Balance to the Force she has brought."

The Emperor's brow crinkled, but he never had a chance to respond.

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Princess Leia tentatively touched her cheek and gingerly turned her head side to side as she scrutinized her reflection.

"You're amazing, Tendra," she conceded.

"I know," the older woman giggled as she smoothed Leia's hair. "You should go lie down. All this make-up doesn't mean you're all better."

"I will," she met Tendra's eyes in the looking glass. She opened her mouth, but Tendra silenced her with a squeeze to her shoulders before she left the cabin.

Leia returned her attention to her image. She ran her hands down the sides of her body until her fingers hooked onto the tunic's edge. Giving it a little tug, she took a small step back and lifted her chin. She decided not to change into her own clothes, but instead return to the Fleet dressed in the outfit the Emperor made her wear. Her appearance had such an effect on Darth Vader…

"My father," she whispered aloud.

If he was stricken with shock, maybe some of the High Command would be thrown off balance as well. _Do I really look just like my mother?_

Leia turned her head, and lifted the end of her braided tail. The tunic and fingerless gloves were singed and soiled, and a blunt tear exposed her right knee through the leggings, both a sharp contrast to her porcelain skin and made up features. She barely recognized herself under the illusion of the make-up and the haze of the painkillers. But she did not see her mother.

She gasped as a chill tickled her spin.

Han stepped into the cabin, "The Scorcher—"

"I know," Leia's brown eyes inventoried his fatigued ones.

Han shifted his weight between his feet and rested his hands on his waist. Her lips tensed and she rocked onto her toes, but she remained where she was.

"I…" she sighed and dropped her eyes to the floor, "it's…nothing's the same."

Solo ran his hand through his hair and crossed the small room to stand behind her. His hands hovered over her shoulders but then settled on gently stroking her hair. _What's not the same?_ He wanted to ask, but he couldn't—no, wouldn't ask. He did not want to know the answer.

Leia's large brown eyes commanded his in the looking glass. "Han, I'm not going to break."

He nodded before turning away from her and leaving her to herself. She closed her eyes, _I can't break just yet._

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Mon Mothma pressed her palm against the glass and watched what was left of the Scorcher burn out. The radiant explosion sizzled into a litter of unrecognizable pieces that floated and deflected off other pieces. That was it. It was over.

She turned away from the window and closed her eyes. If only it were that simple.

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The _Millennium Falcon's_ ramp clanked against the smooth white floor of the docking bay on the sleek Mon Calamari flag ship. Princess Leia inhaled as she scanned the jumbled hangar. There were a number of techs and engineers being treated for wounds. Others stood with their eyes glued to the fading light show beyond the hangar while many pilots and technicians hollered and cheered as they patted each other on the back or embraced one another with masculine roughness. Creating a void within the emotional ruckus, Mon Mothma calmly weaved her way through the mayhem toward the _Falcon_. The rest of the High Command traversed the hangar at various speeds, occasionally stopping to offer congratulations or condolences to those they passed. Leia's eyes iced over them and hitched on the approaching Leader of the Alliance. Mon Mothma's mouth formed a small 'o' and her pace faltered a beat as her gaze absorbed the princess' presence.

Leia lifted her chin a notch. _Mission accomplished._

But her small victory was short lived. She plastered a serene smile on her face while she tried to work out the logistics of reaching the bottom of the ramp without betraying the full extent of her injuries.

Maybe she should have considered her injuries when she conjured up the plan.

"Your Highness!"

Leia turned her head toward the voice to find Wedge and a handful of other Rogue Squadron pilots accepting congratulations as they neared the _Falcon_. Wes and several other pilots rushed up the ramp. Their laughter and shouts swirled around her, and before she knew what was happening, Wes lifted her off her feet and twirled her around. Leia winced in pain as he gently put her down and she found herself in Janson's arms.

She grinned at the pilot before she turned her attention to Mon Mothma and General Dodonna, "Han's hurt! He's in need of medical attention."

"Where is he?" someone shouted out.

"Chewie and Lando are helping him," Leia answered.

As if on cue, Chewie and Lando appeared at the top of the ramp. She allowed the pilots to discreetly assist her to the bottom of the ramp as they raced up to help their injured comrade. Wedge remained by her side with one arm thrown around her.

"Your Highness," General Dodonna stepped forward with the intent of embracing the her, but Wedge refused to let her go. "I'm so glad you survived."

Leia opened her mouth but the sincerity in his moist eyes melted away her fury. She smiled, "Thank you, General."

Mon Mothma's pale visage gaped at the princess, her blue eyes widening as if she had seen a ghost. "We all are," she managed to say. "Your…your mother would be proud."

"I'll never know," she met the older woman's bewildered stare. "If it weren't for the Rogue Squadron I'm not sure we would've—"

"Nah," Wedge laughed. "We just happen to be in the neighborhood."

"What of the Emperor and Darth Vader?"

The levity dissipated. Leia lowered her voice, "Dead."

"I woulda loved to be there," Wedge shook his head and punctuated his wish with an approving chuckle. "But I'm glad I wasn't!"

The pilots and rebels in earshot clapped their hands and shouted their praise for the princess, giving her credit for things she did not deserve.

"Yes," Mon Mothma conceded, bringing the celebratory outbursts to a simmer. "We are grateful for your success."

Leia dropped her eyes to the white floor, not black like the Emperor's throne room, but cold and glaring just the same. She lifted her chin and molded her mouth into a placating smile, "I will debrief the High Command as soon as Captain Solo's medical needs are met."

"As a member of the High Command," Mon Mothma looked down her nose at the princess, "you have responsibilities to meet, and the sooner we confer, the sooner we can plan our next move."

The princess raised her right eyebrow and pursed her lips.

The Alliance leader's mouth twitched as she pressed the palms of her hands together. "Chewbacca can accompany Captain Solo to the medical bay."

"Princess!" Tendra's melodic voice floated over the chaos.

Leia's face fell for the briefest of seconds before she turned toward Tendra.

"I wouldn't feel right leaving him…"

"Do you not trust the medics?" Mon Mothma challenged.

The princess raised her chin, "Of course I do."

The older woman tilted her head, "Then is there another reason you refuse to follow protocol?"

"Look around you," Leia snapped. Her left hand swept up to hold her head and she stifled a groan, "Do you even _see_ them, those who risked their lives for this victory? Some things are…"

"Perhaps you should go see to Captain Solo," Dodonna waved his hands to usher her away. "The debriefing can wait for the time being."

"Thank you for understanding, General," Leia took hold of his hand and gave it a squeeze before turning away.

"Commander Antilles."

Wedge froze. "Yes?"

Mon Mothma crossed her arms over her chest. "Once your…festivities…subside, you and your squad will report to the Command Center." She turned on her heel then stopped. "I expect your celebration will be kept short. There's still much that needs to be clarified." She walked away without another word.

Wedge rolled his eyes in a very Luke-like fashion inciting a wistful smile from Leia.

"There's always _much_ that needs to be _clarified_." Wedge kissed Leia's cheek and allowed Tendra to lead Leia away.

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Once the door of the private medical room closed, Lando helped Leia ease herself onto the examining table. "This can't take long."

"It's gonna take as long as it needs to take, Your Worship," Han stalked over to her.

Leia glared at him, her cheeks bright red. She just didn't have the energy to unleash her fury on him.

"Han," Tendra's smile radiated patience, "you're not helping manners."

"I'm not tryin' to!"

Chewbacca planted his hairy fists on his hips and leaned forward.

"Chewie's right," Lando kissed his wife. "We need to leave before we attract unwanted attention." He smiled and winked at Leia. "Don't worry, princess. You're in good hands, as long as Han keeps _his_ hands to himself."

Leia laughed and Han pulled a face before the slim white door slid shut. He leaned over Leia and peered into her face. The blinding glare of the overhead lighting shattered the illusion of health that Tendra had adroitly created, and Han's stomach contracted.

Leia grabbed his hand, "Please, don't say anything."

Solo tapped a tooth with his tongue and stared into her large brown eyes. There it lain tucked beneath the stubbornness and determination where it always resided, the twinkle of vulnerability she couldn't hide from him no matter how hard she tried, that tugged on his heart and melted his resolve. She needn't say a word. She never had to say a word though she said many over the years. All she had to do was look at him. Han doubted Leia knew of how much power she had over him, mainly because her words and eyes didn't always say the same thing. But he knew.

Han sighed and reluctantly released Leia's hand. He sank down into the chair at the foot of her bed and buried his head in his hands. Tendra placed her hand on his unwounded shoulder before tending to Leia.

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Princess Leia swept into the Command Center, her braided tail snapping sharp as she came to a halt.

"Commander Antilles," she raised her chin, "you're dismissed."

Wedge's thick eyebrows smashed together as he glanced around the table.

"Your Highness!" Mon Mothma rose to her feet. "How dare you barge in here—"

"Barge in?" she lifted an eyebrow. "Unless things have changed, I am a member of the High Command and have every right to be here."

"When we're finished with Commander Antilles…" Dodonna placed a hand on Mon Mothma's shoulder and eased her back into her chair.

"You are finished, general," Leia walked to her usual seat at the table but stayed standing. "Commander Antilles, you are dismissed. We will summon you if we need to."

Wedge fumbled to his feet, "Yes, Your Highness."

The princess waited for Wedge to leave before she regarded her colleagues. The three generals gaped at her dumbfounded, and Leia wasn't certain if it was because of her brazen action or her very being. Admiral Ackbar remained difficult to read, but both of his bulbous eyes had swiveled onto her and his large mouth hung agape. Mom Mothma sat as still as a waloriu waiting to pounce on its prey, though her brow shimmered with a light sheen of perspiration.

"Your Highness," Mon Mothma lowered her voice to just above a growl, "just because you are a member of the High Command it does not give you the right to barge in here and disrupt our proceedings."

"Then we're agreed upon one thing," Leia straightened her back. "I _am_ a member of the High Command."

"Your recent words and actions might change that, Princess," Admiral Ackbar pressed his lower lip against his top, creating a perfect upside down 'U' that conveyed his displeasure.

"The Admiral is right, Your Highness," General Madine looked that Ackbar.

Leia tipped her head to the left, "My words and actions?" Her eyes traveled around the table and settled on the friendly blue ones of her one-time caregiver. "Perhaps my words have been quite brash, but my actions complied with your desires."

"And what desires were those?" Dodonna asked after he cleared his throat.

"The mission you sent me on," Leia glared into Mon Mothma's icy eyes. "I completed it, though not exactly as you planned."

"Please explain."

"Well, I lived."

"Are you suggesting we engineered the mission with the intent to bring about your death?" Dodonna tucked his chin and clutched the edge of the table.

The princess silently glared at the general.

General Madine's brow fell over his eyes, "It was a dangerous mission, Your Highness, only one trained in the Force could successfully completely. But you are not a trained Jedi..."

"No I'm not," the princess' cheek twitched. "But I stand here nonetheless."

"Then you proved us wrong," Mon Mothma folded her hands on the table. "Let us focus on what's most important." The Former Senator paused as she collected the complete attention of her colleagues. "Are you a hundred percent certain that Darth Vader and the Emperor did not survive?"

She smiled as her large brown eyes slipped to General Reeiken for the briefest of seconds, "Captain Solo killed Darth Vader."

"Captain Solo?"

Leia nodded once, "As I'm sure you remember from past history, it does not take a Jedi to kill a Jedi, or a Sith for that matter."

Mon Mothma leaned forward and forced her jaw to relax. "Well we're pleased that you proved us wrong about the mortality of the Sith… and the Jedi."

Leia's lips stretched into the slightest of smiles as her eyes shot daggers at her former mentor.

"And the Emperor?" Reeiken quickly asked.

The princess paused and furrowed her brow as if she were listening to something no one else could hear. "Perished with the Scorcher, along with Master Yoda.

"And from where did Master Yoda come?" Dodonna pulled on his beard.

"I don't know," Leia shook her head. "I thought you might have sent him just in case I failed." No one moved. She sighed and whispered as her eyes fell to the table, "But you didn't."

Did Yoda sacrifice his life for her?

_This way it must be._

Why?

"Your Highness?" Reeiken stretched his neck forward and peered into her face.

The last of the Sith, the last of the Jedi…perished with the Scorcher. Does the absence of both bring balance to the Force?

"Leia?"

She glanced at Reeiken and then folded her hands behind her back. "A major victory was won today, but the war is far from over."

"We all are aware of the upcoming hardships we face, _Your Highness._"

"Good," she slipped on a reticent smile.

Leia slowly paced the room while keeping an eye on each member of the High Command. "While I deplore your choices, deception, and treatment of those who have dedicated their lives to the Alliance, I understand that your actions were driven by a great fear stirred by ghosts from the past and a desire to bring an end to the war."

All but Mon Mothma and Reeiken refused to meet her heavy gaze. Leia stopped pacing once she was standing straight across from the Alliance Leader. She watched the skilled politician for a moment.

"Despite _your_ recent actions, there are no better minds in this galaxy fit to build a democratic government and make it work than those that reside in this room." She held out her hands and let them lazily slap against her thighs. "My faith in you has never faltered."

The princess slightly frowned as she surveyed the emotions swelling in the room. Apprehension, distrust, uncertainty…fear.

"Your faith in me has," she whispered to herself as the prick of reality finally penetrated her skin.

Leia swallowed, "I want no part in the reconstruction of the Republic or the campaign against the remnants of the Empire. My service to the Alliance ends when I walk through that door."

"No disrespect, Your Highness," Mon Mothma rolled her lips between her teeth, "but you've been raised from birth to serve the Republic. I find it difficult to believe that you would just walk away when we are so close to achieving our goals."

"They're no longer my goals," she sighed.

"You know we can't allow someone with Force abilities, especially someone who refused training," Mon Mothma's brow rose, "to wander freely through the galaxy."

"I'm either with you or against you," Leia tilted her head to the right as she studied her former mentor.

"You do pose a threat to our cause," Madine's mouth quirked to the side. "The Jedi and Sith made a mess of the galaxy in the past. You must understand our concerns."

The princess blinked her eyes several times as she processed the general's words.

"Yes. After all," Mon Mothma pulled the edge of her sleeve as she continued to stare at the princess, "it's in your blood."

Leia licked her bottom lip, "I know who I am, and I am not ashamed of what I've done." She allowed her eyes to survey her colleagues before returning them to Mon Mothma. "Can any of you say the same?"

She shook her head and turned to leave.

"What do you think would happen if your true parentage becomes public knowledge?"

Leia paused. She twisted her head just enough to direct her ear toward the Alliance leader.

"When the troops learn that you are the offspring of Darth Vader," Mon Mothma clasped her hands together, "how do you think they'll react?"

Leia raised her eyebrow, turned around, and then smiled, "After you publically gave me credit for the death of the Emperor and Darth Vader in the docking bay?" She shrugged, "I don't think I have much to worry about."

Without another word, Princess Leia exited the Command Center for the last time.


	25. Epilogue

CHAPTER 25:

Princess Leia settled deep into pilot's seat on the _Millennium Falcon_, hugging her legs to her chest and staring into space. She rested her head against the back of the chair and tried to swallow down the pain. _If only it were just physical pain…_

It seemed like her world broke apart in just a day, the day before today, or the day before that, but it was inevitable. Her world started to crack well before recent events. Alderaan…the Death Star…Luke…Darth Vader, her father…the torture…the Force…the High Command…maybe before all that.

And now her world was just a jumble of shattered memories destined to be further pulverized by the passing of time. Leia concentrated her vision on the vortex created by lightspeed travel and focused on reconnecting the images in her mind. Her life had to be more than just a string of tragedies, didn't it?

Her eyes drifted into faraway. Carlist Reeiken's face, smiling and youthful, inches from hers as he knelt down to reprimand her was the first memory to assault her. He always smiled when he scolded her, not like her father who was stern and serious as if the whole galaxy rested on his shoulders. She sighed. Her father _was_ shouldering the ailments of the galaxy. Maybe that was why he entrusted Carlist to shoulder her. Reeiken held her hand or hovered near to keep her safe as she explored the world, he bandaged her scrapes and bumps even though there were servants for that, and he entertained her in the dullest of situations with games he conjured up at a moment's notice. _He loves me._

Leia touched her lips. Reeiken wasn't smiling when she last saw him, though he tried. The lines on his face, the bags under his eyes, his thinning gray hair made her tired, but such changes in appearance did not keep her from remembering him as the Carlist of her youth. He chased her down after she stalked out of the Command Center. He had no intention of stopping her, though she could sense the difficulty he suffered with this decision. He snatched her into his arms and buried his face in her shoulder.

Leia chewed the dry flakes of skin on her bottom lip. She would never feel Carlist's arms around her again. He would never bandage her wounds, both physical and emotional. Leia wanted nothing more than to take Reeiken with them, and his desire to walk away from the Alliance tingled through her. All she had to do was ask…

But she didn't. _The Alliance needs you. You are their conscience until they can find theirs again._

No one had a greater heart than Carlist Reeiken.

The members of the High Command had hearts and consciences, but the discovery of Leia's true parentage combined with the ghosts of the past instilled fear within them. She faulted no one for their harsh treatment of her or for the decisions made. The wounds caused by her father, Anakin Skywalker's betrayal, were torn open by her presence, and all they wanted to do was prevent history from repeating itself. And perhaps they did just that. No Jedi, no Sith, no Jedi turning to the Dark Side… The chances of building a democratic government in which all beings are treated equal should be much better without the meddling of the Sith and Jedi.

Leia whispered a prayer for Mon Mothma. Her heart had suffered the most.

Then she whispered a prayer for Luke. His toothy smile and twinkly blue eyes always lifted her spirits even when she thought her spirits could never be lifted. His absence hollowed out a piece of her heart, creating a void instead of filling it. They did a lot of growing up together between his sudden appearance at the door of her cell on the Death Star and that fateful day on Hoth when Luke died at the hand of some unknown creature. Leia tried to imagine what their relationship would be like today had he lived to know they were siblings, but no what ifs came to mind.

A light sweep of cool air brushed against Leia's face. _What ifs cannot compare to what is._

She was about to search out its source, but a face in the center of the vortex caught her eyes.

"Hey, Sweetheart," Han placed a kiss on the top of her head then smoothed her hair with both hands. "Why you hiding?"

Leia tipped her head back and smiled at him, "I'm not hiding."

"No?" he dropped himself into Chewie's large chair. "Then whatcha doin'?"

She shook her head, "Just thinking."

He ran her finger along her hairline down to her cheek, "Thinking can be hazardous to your health."

"Your health maybe," Leia scrunched her nose.

Han smirked and gave her nose a gentle tap.

She playfully slapped his hand away, "Any word from Lando?"

"Yeah," Han caught her hand, kissed her fingers, and then let it go. "They made it to Bespin this morning. He'll contact us when arrangements are final."

Leia sighed. "I've caused them so much trouble."

"We," Han amended, "And Lando ain't one to hold grudges."

She dropped her chin and arched her right brow.

Han rolled his eyes, "Okay, maybe that's not completely accurate."

Leia shook her head, "Not at all accurate."

He peered into her large brown eyes, "Lando's helping us cos Lando wants to, even after…after everything." He fell quiet as he waited for her to process and accept his words.

Her eyes slid off of his and landed on the navigation console beyond his head. "They'll send Mandos."

He leaned back into the co-pilot's seat and rubbed the scar on his chin, "Yeah..." Mandos were famous for killing Jedi, but there was no need to say that aloud. Leia may not consider herself a Jedi, but the High Command still thought otherwise. He cracked a crooked grin, "Lando isn't happy without a little excitement in his life."

The princess nodded and shifted her eyes to the lightshow beyond the canopy.

Han pressed his lips together before quietly asking, "Having second thoughts?"

He watched the fractured light from the stars dance in her large dark eyes. Flashes of color glinted then disappeared only to be replaced by another twinkle. The mesmerizing sight was complimented by her glowing skin as it caught and reflected the warm lights of the console keys. She was as close to perfect as she could be. It was easy to forget Sith Lords and biological fathers, Jedi and the Alliance, and all the ugliness and loss that came with those things when he looked at her.

But…The lighting in the cockpit always created magic. Every time he entered, it was like slipping into a dream, anticipating an adventure sitting just beyond the horizon. And she absorbed that magic, made it hers without making it hers, as she made him hers with no intention of doing so.

Leia twisted her head to look at him and winced, erasing the illusion of perfect health.

"No."

His eyebrows crashed together as he tried to fit her answer to a question he was certain he asked. "No?"

She shifted her body so that she faced him and leaned her cheek against the back of the chair. "No second thoughts," her voice smiled but her countenance whispered fatigue.

Han rubbed his bottom lip against his top as his hazel eyes traveled from her stocking feet, along her legs curled neatly underneath her, up the curves of her torso, until he reached her face. With her cheek still pressed against the back of the pilot's seat, she studied him with a wary eye as if she was waiting for something she'd rather not come to pass.

"The Alliance…" he whispered, "for as long as I've known you, it was your purpose in life."

Leia sighed and glanced at her hands that rested in her lap, "For longer than I've known you."

"Yeah." Han watched her pull at the cuticles on the edge of her fingernails. _Yeah…_ He swallowed down the inquiries and worries that swam around his head.

Leia looked up at him, tipped so that she could peer straight into his eyes, and graced him with the most beautifully peaceful smile he'd ever seen in his life. "Guess I'll have to learn to live without a purpose."

Han raised his eyebrows and sported a lop-sided grin, "Good answer."

THE END


End file.
